Plain clothes officers have been deployed in an area with a  ‘disturbing concentration’ of day time burglaries.

In May there were 10 burglaries of properties around Honey Lane and Winters Way in Waltham Abbey, between10am and 6pm and a further five in April.

The offences were being committed on average once every three days last month.

Neighbourhood Inspector Andy Fusher today said more plain clothes officers as well as uniformed officers have been deployed in the area to try to stop the trend.

The burglaries have mainly seen cash, laptops and jewellery taken and normally involve the thieves gaining entry at the rear of the property before jemmying open a window or smashing a patio door.

Police have received reports of two men in a black BMW seen in the area regularly over the period of the burglaries and believe there is a ‘high likelihood’ the offenders are from the town.

Tony Ellis, crime prevention officer for Brentwood and Epping Forest, said: “The intruders need to establish if anyone is at home before they break in; the last thing they want is for someone to be able to identify them.

“Their normal method is to knock at the front door of the house they have decided to target.

“If they get no answer they will continue on with the offence.

“If they do get an answer they will ask a question such as ‘Does John live here?’ or ask for directions and having established that someone is at home they move on to another target”

Residents are urged to call police if they encounter people acting suspiciously and to keep valuables out of view and close all doors and windows if leaving their property.