POLICE have urged residents to lock their doors in the wake of a string of night-time burglaries in which eight properties were affected.

POLICE have urged residents to lock their doors in the wake of a string of night-time burglaries in which eight properties were affected.

The police helicopter was called in to help track a burglar disturbed inside one of the homes affected on Friday night in Great Cornard.

Police have today urged residents in the village, near Sudbury, to remain vigilant in the wake of a string of burglaries and attempted burglaries over the weekend.

All eight are being linked.

Properties in Oak Road, Kempson Drive, Ash Grove, Sheepshead Hill and Mallard Way were targeted between Friday night and Saturday morning.

Police say that in all cases front doors were forced in an attempt to break in.

Six homes were broken into and in the two incidents in which the burglars failed to break in, the door frames were damaged.

The first incident happened between 9pm on Friday and 10.15am Saturday in Kempson Drive when a shoulder bag and a set of keys were taken.

Then, between 10.30pm on Friday and 12.30pm Saturday attempts were made to force open a door at a property on Sheepshead Hill, but no entry was gained.

Between 11pm on Friday and 8am Saturday a laptop and a handbag were taken from a house in Ash Grove and between 11pm on Friday and 8.30am Saturday tobacco was stolen from a house in Kempson Drive.

A torch and a handbag were swiped between 11.30pm on Friday and 7am Saturday in Oak Road and between 12.15am and 9.15am on Saturday offenders broke into a

house in Ash Grove and stole keys to a black BMW 116 SE, registration AJ58LSE, which was taken along with a laptop, a child’s buggy and an MP3 player.

An unsuccessful attempt was made to get into a house in Mallard Way between 12.30am and 2.30am before a 6ft man dressed in black was disturbed in a house in Kempson Drive at 2.40am.

A police spokeswoman said: “He ran out of the front door and a purse containing cash was found to have been stolen.

“Officers searched the area assisted by the force helicopter but the offender was not located.

“The purse was later found with the cash missing in Mallard Way.

“Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure at all times.

“A key should be used to lock doors and windows to ensure the full deadbolt mechanism engages and a thief cannot get in. Keys should then be left away from the door in a safe place, including car keys as in one of these burglaries a car was stolen from outside. Other items of value should not be left near doors and windows where they are on display and easily accessible.”

Anybody with any information about these burglaries should contact West Suffolk CID on 01284 774100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.