North Yorkshire Police is urging residents to be vigilant and follow basic home security advice after a series of burglary incidents in the York and Selby areas in recent days.

Homes have been targeted while people are away on holiday, property has been stolen while the owners were at home but have left doors insecure, and an elderly man was targeted by suspected offenders who tricked their way into his house.

As part of Operation Haven, the force’s ongoing burglary reduction campaign which has seen an 18% drop in houses being targeted between April and September 2012 (168 fewer crimes – from 937 incidents in the same period in 2011 to 769 in 2012), police are emphasising the importance for residents to play their part by taking extra measures to secure their homes.

In York, officers are urging residents to lock-up after three burglaries in the city in the past two days.

Sometime between 10pm and 11pm on Sunday 7 October 2012, a student house on Lamel Street, off Hull Road, was entered through the front door which had been left unlocked.

A handbag containing a purse, cash and bank cards were stolen from a ground floor front bedroom, while the occupants were in the communal kitchen at the rear of the house.

Officers are also investigating after an expensive mountain bike was stolen from Stockton on the Forest.

The bike, a blue and silver GT Aggressor, was taken from a garage at a property in Trinity Meadows between 11pm on Sunday 7 October 2012 and 11.40am on Monday 8 October 2012.

There was no sign of forced entry to the garage door which is believed to have been left insecure.

The third burglary occurred at a property in McHugh Court, Heslington, sometime between Sunday 7 October and Monday 8 October 2012.

A digital camera and a laptop were stolen from the property although there was no sign of forced entry. Officers believe the items may have been stolen after an offender got in through an insecure door or window.

Anyone with information about the burglaries in York should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for York CID. Or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.