A CAR was stolen and later found abandoned after a city burglary as homeowners are urged to dial 999 right away to catch house breakers.

The Fiat 500 was stolen from outside a house in Astwood Road, Worcester - after the burglar or burglars had broken into the home to take the car keys on Sunday or in the early hours of Monday morning.

READ MORE: Attempted murder arrest as police swarm city estate 

READ MORE: Alleged iPhone thief wanted by police after city scam

Officers recovered the car in Lime Avenue, Worcester on Tuesday, January 24, the day after it was reported stolen.

Meanwhile, jewellery was stolen from Victoria Street in Northwick in a raid on Monday that may be linked.

Worcester News: ADVICE: DI Dave Knight of West Mercia Police ADVICE: DI Dave Knight of West Mercia Police

To give Worcester officers the best chance of catching burglars, the advice remains to call 999 in the event of a raid in progress so resources can be deployed to the scene as quickly as possible and officers have the best chance of making an arrest.

The advice comes as officers have made a string of arrests for domestic and commercial burglaries - including eight arrests following raids on Argos stores, including one in Blackpole in Worcester and another in Evesham.

DI Dave Knight of South Worcestershire Proactive CID, part of West Mercia Police, said the suspect or suspects broke into the house, stole the car keys then left in the vehicle during the Astwood Road burglary.

A further burglary was also reported in Victoria Street, Northwick on Monday, January 23 when the suspect or suspects broke in through the rear of the property and made off with jewellery.

DI Knight said patrols had been increased in those areas in response to the burglaries. 

"We think the two burglaries may be linked because of the geographical area," said DI Knight. At this stage of the ongoing investigation, the offenders are believed to be local.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest news for your local area? It's easy, just sign up for our email newsletters here and all the important stories that matter to you will be delivered straight to your inbox.

DI Knight, who has previously spoken of the devastating impact of burglaries, said: "If your car has been stolen - even if it's recovered - it's never going to feel the same again.

"Whether it's damaged or not it's never going to quite feel like that cherished car you have saved so hard to pay for. 

"The police in Worcester will do their best to lock up suspected burglars but we need the public's help in respect of reporting criminality and suspicious activity and don't be afraid to call 999 if a crime is in progress. 

"A thief has got to be lucky every time they commit an offence. The police only have to be lucky once and that's them off to prison. We make our own luck by ensuring we're patrolling in the right areas as a result of the information fed to us from the community."