POLICE are urging residents to keep windows and doors locked after a series of burglaries in the warm weather.

Opportunist thieves have been prowling around residential streets in Harwich and Clacton and have struck at least eight times over the past few days:

n Ingestre Road, Harwich – Three young men broke in and took keys.

n Third Avenue, Harwich – Thieves broke in and stole a laptop, Blackberry, phone and X-box.

n Lee Road, Harwich – Burglars stole a Ford Focus later found burnt out at Park Farm, Elmstead Market.

n Key Road, Clacton – A TV and phone were stolen.

n Chapman Road, Clacton – A Mini Cooper car was stolen and later found crashed in the car park of the Three Jays pub.

DI Mark Watson of the Eastern Division Target Team, responsible for investigating house burglaries in area, urged residents to be extra vigilant with their home security.

“Please ensure that all doors and windows left open during the warm days are locked and secured in the evenings,” he said. “If you have a UPVC front or back doors make sure they are double-locked .

“This sudden increase in burglaries has coincided with the warm weather and highlights the need for these simple preventative measures to deter opportunist criminals.”

Call police on 0300 333 4444 if you have any information about these crimes.