Police have warned drivers to beware of thieves targeting airport parking amid a surge in stolen cars.

Travellers are being urged to keep an eye out for “unofficial” operators claiming to offer cheap long-stay parking following an increase in complaints, according to reports.

Holidaymakers have been returning to find their vehicles damaged, burgled or stolen when they were supposed to be being looked after by meet-and-greet companies, the Guardian has reported.

Some have been hit with penalty charge notices (PCNs) for parking breaches even though they believed their cars were being kept in secure compounds, according to the newspaper, while the meet-and-greet service did not even turn up for others, leaving them abandoned at the arrivals terminal.

Anyone can trade as a parking operator as long as they are not breaking airline bylaws. The rogue firms reportedly do not often have contracts with landowners, with some “moonlighting” from airport hotel car parks, where unsuspecting customers are instructed to drop off their vehicles. The cars are then dumped on land, such as construction sites and fields, beyond the airport perimeter.

Sussex Police told the newspaper: “Officers remain aware of ongoing concerns in the local area about the practices of some parking providers. They continue to work closely with the relevant authorities, including trading standards, to address these issues.”

The force’s warning comes after Gatwick Airport similarly advised passengers to be aware of rogue parking companies earlier this year.

Oliver Bedford, car parking director at the West Sussex Airport, said: “The challenge we have is that these operators can operate in the airport as long as they don’t break any of our bylaws.

“Although they may have Gatwick in their name there’s no association between those operators and the airport.”

He added that it is common for operators to open during peak holiday seasons before closing down.