POLICE are warning residents about a safety loophole with UPVC doors, which has led to two burglaries in Woodford Green.
When the internal door handle is in the closed position without the door being locked with a key, opportunist thieves have been using a device that easily unlocks the door through a letterbox.
Two houses were hit in the early hours of Friday when crooks unlocked the doors and stole both the owners' cars, worth £26,000, and other items.
An Ilford police spokesman said: "With a simple tool, unlocked UPVC door handles can easily be pulled down and the door opened.
The door should be key locked with the key kept nearby for escape in an emergency."
She said internal letterbox cages or an external letterbox were other options.
The first burglary happened just after 4am on Friday, while a 44-year-old woman slept.
Intruders took her handbag and car keys before stealing her blue Vauxhall Astra, worth £6,000. The registration number is X935 FOD.
Just minutes later at 4.20am the culprits targeted a home in Monkhams Avenue, where a 39-year-old man was woken by the sound of the engine of his blue Mercedes people carrier, worth £20,000, being driven away.
Also taken was a mobile phone and a Game Boy console.
Witnesses should ring the Ilford police burglary squad on 8345 2677.
