Suburban burglars are preying on open doors and open windows to steal from people’s homes.

Police working to combat a disturbing rise in burglaries in Brighton and Hove say it has been easy for opportunist criminals to ply their trade.

The culprits have taken advantage of homes where keys have been left in locks or they have found doors wide open Six raids have taken place in the Surrenden Road area of Brighton this week.

Inspector Bill Whitehead of Sussex Police said the majority have involved insecure homes.

He said: “There is an easy and free way of making sure your are less likely to be a victim of a burglary and that is simply to close and lock your front door.”

Laptops and cash have been taken in the burglaries. In some cases car keys have been taken and cars close by driven aweay.

The raids are part of a citywide spate this week.

Two burglaries and an attempted burglary were reported near London Road railway station on Wednesday morning.

At Ditchling Rise a woman had her television stolen while she was in the shower. The culprit took her car keys and drove away in her blue Skoda.

At Springfield Road one burglary and one attempted break-in were reported.

In Patcham on Thursday two 12-year-old girls reported seeing men in a white car behaving suspiciously in Overhill Drive.

They had gone when police arrived but are being linked to an attempted break-in at Graham Avenue.

Anyone with information about break-ins is asked to call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.