Nottingham students are being warned to be wary of a man knocking on their door asking for the toilet and stealing their property whilst they were distracted.
The force has received two reports of a man targeting student properties in Dunkirk on Sunday.
Detective Inspector Kayne Rukas from the force’s City burglary team is urging people to be vigilant following the reports.
He said: “Two properties were targeted within twenty minutes yesterday in two separate distraction burglars in Dunkirk.
“It was reported that an unknown man has knocked on the door of two student properties in Lace Street at around 3.30pm and then 3.50pm.
“The man has asked to use the toilet. After being let in, he has conducted a search in rooms and it was subsequently found that items had been stolen.
“Officers are keen to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious.
“If you have any information please call 101, quoting incident number 380 of 8 November 2020. If any similar incidents occur and the suspect is still nearby then please call 999 immediately.
“With the clocks changing and the evenings being longer and darker, we often see an increase in house burglaries.
“We have seen a recent increase in burglaries in the Lenton, Arboretum and Radford areas where suspects have entered via insecure doors and windows.
“The reports have mainly come from University student addresses and we’ve had numerous reports of offenders walking into properties via unlocked doors. They are climbing into flats and houses through insecure windows, even onto upper floors and stealing the items.
“Laptops and electrical items are often taken, which often contain a lot of important study work and leaves the victims without their coursework and notes, which are obviously crucial for their studies.
“The nights are now darker for longer, so it’s so important to make sure your house or flat is secure. I also extend this advice to all communities in Nottinghamshire as most burglaries are committed by offenders entering through home insecurities be it open windows or unlocked doors.