Police in west Belfast have appealed to residents to make sure all doors and windows are locked at night.

It follows an increase in burglaries in the area which tend to see the burglar gain access to a property through unlocked doors and unsecured windows.

On Tuesday, a house was burgled in Andersonstown after a young man opened an unlocked door around 11pm. He was seen to look around the hall of the house but left without taking anything. The homeowner said he believed the man was looking for car keys.

Early the next morning, the occupant of another house in the Slemish Green area awoke and confronted another young man whom he discovered in the house. The burglar had entered the house through an unlocked window. Once challenged, he left the house through the front door, where a second young man joined him before fleeing.

Following the incidents Constable Pete Connolly, Crime Prevention Officer at Woodbourne police station, said: "Almost 30% of all house burglaries reported in the West Belfast Policing District this year have been through unlocked doors and windows.

“Most of those have been through the front door. What is most alarming is that these burglaries tend to occur in the very late evening or through the night. People are going to bed at night without taking the simple protective steps of locking their doors and windows.

“By taking simple steps of locking doors and windows and putting valuables out of sight of casual observation, householders could reduce the likelihood of criminals successfully targeting their homes,” Constable Connolly added.

(MB/SP)