Police are urging householders to be vigilant after burglars broke into two homes through cat flaps.

Offenders targeted an elderly woman’s home in Bodgara Way, Liskeard overnight on February 22/23 by putting an unknown instrument through the cat flap to reach the key in the back door.

They ransacked the ground floor while the woman, in her 80s, was asleep. They took two old £2 coins.

Police are linking the offence to a burglary in Poldhu Road between 31 January and 2 February where the cat flap was smashed.

The offenders used a metal rod to knock the key out of the back door. More than £2,500 worth of valuables was taken including two designer ladies watches, a £500 charm bracelet, a laptop, an Xbox with two controllers and four games, plus items of jewellery.

Detective constable Kirk Duffy, from Liskeard CID, said: “We would ask householders to be vigilant and be mindful of this type of burglary. Residents should remove keys from doors to help protect their property and reduce the potential for theft.

“Anyone who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time of the offences is asked to contact police.”

Detectives are also investigating break-ins to several garden sheds in Bodgara Way over the weekend. The locks were broken off two sheds in the back garden of one property between 2pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday and several tools were taken from a tool box. Between 3.30pm on Saturday and 12.45pm on Sunday, entry was gained to a shed in another garden and an attempt was made to get into a second shed; nothing was stolen.

Considerable damage was also caused to the doors and frames of four garden sheds in Lake Lane sometime between 2pm on Friday and 1pm on Monday.

Offenders also got inside a motor home parked in the grounds of the property while the owner was away. It is not yet known if anything has been taken.

Anyone with information that can assist the investigation is asked to contact police by telephoning 101, quoting crime reference BD/14/230