POLICE are warning residents to be on their guard against sneak thieves and burglars.

Their advice follows an incident shortly after 1am on Friday, when an off-duty police officer reported two youths acting in a suspicious manner in Hazelwood Court, Langley Park.

One teenager, who was about 5ft 10in and wearing dark clothing, was seen lifting the letterbox of a house and peering inside.

Meanwhile, the other youth, who was about 5ft 6in and wearing a red hooded top, kept a lookout on the street.

When police arrived, they made a search of the area and neighbouring estates. As the evening was frosty, they could clearly see that several lawns had been crossed in the direction of front doors.

Sergeant Jim Bates said: "Residents are being warned they should not leave keys to the house or car, or anything else of value, just inside the entrance to front doors.

"Thieves often use a rod or wire which they push through the letterbox to snare whatever is in reach. There have been reports of this happening recently in Durham and Chester-le-Street."

Anyone with crime concerns can call Durham Constabulary on 0845 60 60 365.