BURGLARIES have been carried out in Stourport homes while residents were sleeping.

Several houses in the Newtown area were broken into at night through back windows or doors, with three offences happening overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

A bag containing a Samsung mobile phone worth £150 was taken from a house in Warwick Street between 10.30pm on Saturday and 11.30am on Sunday after the offender got in through a window.

In another incident, a bag containing a Nokia phone worth £80 was stolen from a house in the same street between 1.30am and 9am on Sunday after the burglar reached in through a cat flap and took the key, which has been left in the door.

The occupant of a house in nearby Brindley Street disturbed an offender trying to break in at 5.10am on Sunday.

Those incidents are being linked to a burglary the previous weekend, when a bag containing a Nokia phone worth £150 and £40 cash was taken from a house in Brindley Street between 10pm on Saturday, October 29 and 7.45am the next day after entry was gained through a window.

Stourport beat manager, PC Jon Harris, said: "We are appealing to householders to close and, where possible, lock all ground floor windows and to lock doors and remove the keys. Do not leave keys in the door.

"Also, lock cat flaps, if they are not in use at night, to prevent offenders reaching through or buy one which has an attachment for the cat's collar to open it only for the cat.

"If there is a burglar alarm which can be set for the ground floor only at night, use it.

"It is also worth investing in outdoor security lights which detect movement and bolts or padlocks for rear garden gates.

"Finally, hide handbags at night. Don't leave them in obvious places, like on the kitchen table."

Witnesses or anyone with information can contact police on 08457 444888 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.