LEIGH police have warned that burglaries are continuing to rise in Journal-land.

Officers say the hot-spots in the past two weeks have been Golborne, Westleigh, south Leigh and Mosley Common. But most areas in the Leigh sub-division had suffered a number of burglaries in the last 14 days, said Sgt Mark Bradley.

The crime management officer said: "The most frustrating thing is that simple security measures could have prevented the burglaries. While some burglars are professionals, the majority are opportunists."

He pleaded: "Please do not give them the opportunity to steal your belongings by leaving doors and windows open, even during the day. Surveys completed with convicted burglars show that the best thing that you can do to prevent a burglary is to make your house look inhabited."

Many of the offences were committed during the day and afternoon periods.

In Golborne of the nine burglaries in the two-week period, five happened when the offenders entered the house through an insecure back door.