Police: Don't let burglars in through your cat-flap

The most common method is pushing a pole through and hooking items left in plain sight, the force said.

The warning comes after a rise in incidents in the Sheffield area over the past week.

Det Sgt Lee Corker said: “The simplest way to avoid being a victim of this type of crime is to get into good habits and not make it easy for thieves.

“When you get back from the shop, don’t leave your car keys on the table near the front door, or the kitchen worktop just above a cat-flap. 

“Simply putting your keys out of sight makes your home much less appealing to thieves. The same goes for purses, wallets and open handbags.

“We’ve seen criminals operating like this get away with cash, bank cards and of course, cars parked outside on the drive.”

Another tip is to tidy away poles, sticks or other equipment which thieves could use to their advantage.