Spate of burglaries continues

Inspector Max Mosley said: "There is an increase in burglaries in this area, mainly during the day or the early evening."

The increase peaked during the Christmas period with intruders taking advantage of the fact that many householders were away but is continuing

Intruders have in the main been forcing rear windows and doors but have occasionally struck brazenly in daylight at the front of homes.

There is no pattern to the property stolen. This has ranged from presents to cash, jewellery to electrical goods.

Police have urged in previous Observer appeals for the public to use the 999 system rather than the non-emergency police number if they believe a raid is about to take place or is in progress.

Past experience has shown that many potentially-important tip-offs are not passed to police until hours after the event.

Inspector Mosley said: "The series continues. We would re-emphasise that ANY suspicious activity should be reported to the police immediately.

"We need people to come forward and join Neighbourhood Watch - we really do need to develop the resources we have already got."

Police believe the upsurge in household burglaries is not the work of one gang but of several.

A police operational map logging the raids is dotted with indicators. These are spread broadly across the town but with the greatest concentration in West Bexhill, the latest being in the Knebworth Road area.