POLICE are warning Swindon men to keep their metrosexual man-bags safe after a theft spree.

More than 300 men admitted to being the proud owners of a man-bag in the South West, according to a survey.

And thefts of the item are on the rise costing UK men £200m in lost valuables in the last year.

Celebrity role models including footballer David Beckham and actor Brad Pitt have been cited as reasons behind increased popularity of the male accessory.

According to Halifax home insurance, four in 10 men - 38 percent - now use a hand-bag compared with 91 percent of women.

Yet men are three times more likely to have their man-bags stolen with pubs, gyms and shopping centres common theft hotspots.

Last night, PC Billy O’Sullivan, the community beat manager for Swindon town centre, said: “Men should keep their man-bag safe at all times.

“We don’t want a crime wave of man-bag theft in Swindon.”

Another key factor in the popularity of the male handbag – also known as the bropack or nerd purse – has been the boom in skinny jean sales, which leave little pocket space for wallets and phones. The result is a bag typically worth more than £260, containing expensive items such as iPhones, portable games consoles and laptops.

Other common items carried in the man-bag include lads’ mags, house keys and hair products.

Martyn Foulds, the senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance said: “Women rarely let their handbags out of their sight but men are yet to learn that their man-bags present a juicy steal for opportunist thieves.

“With theft figures so high, men need to be extra vigilant with their possessions.

“As well as taking sensible precautions like keeping their belongings in sight and their man-bags zipped up, men should ensure they have personal possessions cover as part of their home insurance, so that if the worst does happen they will be covered against any losses.”

Research was commissioned by Halifax Home Insurance plc and conducted by ICM Research between February 19 and 22.

The research programme used a representative survey of 1,000 male adults who were over the age of 18.