RESIDENTS in southern Monmouthshire have been warned to keep their properties locked up following a spate of burglaries.

Gwent Police said there had been several reported burglaries in the Chepstow and Caldicot areas in recent weeks.

“These are opportunistic thefts, and while we continue to investigate, we would like to remind residents to be vigilant and take all the necessary precautions to protect their properties," Detective Constable Jon Sliczny said in a statement.

"These include locking all windows and doors when unattended, and using timer switches so that lights can be turned on for short periods of time when homes are unoccupied.

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“Anyone who is a victim of this sort of crime is urged to report it to us immediately so we can carry out enquiries as soon as possible.”

Anyone with concerns or information about these offences can call Gwent Police on 101, direct message officers on the force's Facebook or Twitter accounts, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.