RESIDENTS of a Hampshire community are being urged to take extra care when leaving windows open overnight after a spate of burglaries.

Several homes in the Stubbington and Fareham areas have been targeted by burglars over the past month, and in almost every case, the intruders gained access to the homes through windows left open overnight.

In five of the cases, the burglar reached through a small, open window in order to unlock a larger window or door to get into the house.

Handbags, wallets, cigarettes, a DVD player, a laptop computer and a television were among the stolen items.

Insp Chris Manktelow said: "These are opportunistic crimes where burglars have spotted an open window and seized the opportunity to gain access to property. They are reaching through the smaller windows to let themselves into houses and then picking up wallets, cash and other easily portable items.

"Of course people want to leave windows open overnight through the summer months, but open ground-floor windows and doors present burglars with an easy opportunity to get into your home."

The areas affected include Plymouth Drive, Shannon Road and Gosport Road in Stubbington, and Ferncroft Close, Harriet Close and Barlow Close in Fareham.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Burglary Investigation Unit at Fareham police station on 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111