VEHICLE owners have been advised to keep their keys safe after reports of a burglary and two attempted burglaries in Essex.

VEHICLE owners have been advised to keep their keys safe after reports of a burglary and two attempted burglaries in Essex.

Police believe the motive behind the crimes was to steal cars from homes in the Colchester area.

The first attempted burglary happened at just after midnight on Thursday morning.

A woman living in Brook Street, Dedham, went to investigate when she heard a bang and found her front window damaged and that attempts had been made to get in to her home through other windows.

Officers believe the suspects were trying to a set of Mercedes keys left visible from outside.

The burglary happened at 2.50am on the same morning when a man entered a woman's home in Perry Lane, Langham after breaking in through a downstairs window.

The man stole the keys to a silver Land Rover parked outside but was disturbed and ran off before taking the car.

A second attempted burglary happened an hour later, at 3.50am, when a man at a house in School Road, Copford, was woken by a noise. He found a damaged side window which officers believe burglars may have been trying to enter to steal keys for an Audi parked on the driveway.

Anyone with any information, particularly those who may have seen people acting suspiciously at the time of the incidents is asked to contact police at Colchester on 0300 333 4444. Anyone wanting advice on how to keep their home secure should call crime reduction officer Colin Stiff on the same number.

Mr Stiff said: “Don't keep your house and car keys on the same key ring. Ensure that they are kept in a secluded place and not next to a window or door. Wherever possible keep your car in a garage, and remember to lock all doors and windows even when the vehicle is in a secure place.”