The thief has been preying on older victims, taking advantage of unlocked doors to enter homes while people are asleep and stealing TVs and jewellery.

Community officer PC Andy Irvine said, “It seems someone is chancing their luck by going around doors under the cover of darkness.

“In each incident, the thief seems to follow the same pattern of behaviour and is taking similar items each time. We’d ask the public to be on the look-out for anyone who may look suspicious.”

PC Irvine said the thief had been getting into houses by opening unsecured patio and veranda doors.

However, he added, this is not isolated to ground-floor properties or bungalows. First-floor flats that have left the veranda door open have also been targeted.

“It is imperative residents remember to check windows and doors are locked prior to retiring for the evening,” he said.

“It is despicable that people would target older members of the community who may be housebound or in some cases uninsured.

“We are carrying out house-to-house inquiries and if anyone has been offered any property recently we’d urge them to get in contact with ourselves.”

PC Irvine confirmed the number of foot patrols overnight in Douglas would be increased as a result of the crimes.

One elderly Douglas resident said she can no longer sleep at night after her TV was stolen while she and her husband were in bed.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, said the couple didn’t hear anything and were only aware of what happened when they got up in the morning to find their patio door ajar.

She said whoever entered her house seemed to know what to look for.

“We were both in bed sleeping. We never heard anything and I can’t sleep at night now,” she said. “When I got up I saw it. The door was half open, the blinds were up and the TV was gone, so I just phoned the police straight away.

“They didn’t make a mess. It was just the curtains thrown over the chair. They knew what they were wanting.”

She added, “The house two doors along got done the week before and there’s been quite a few down the back that have been done — three that I know of.

“I’m trying to get another bolt put on the door, but we’ll just have to wait and see. I don’t like the idea of someone being in my house and I hope they don’t come back again.

“The folk that buy the things off the thieves are worse because they are bound to know that they’ve stolen them.”

Anyone with information regarding the recent thefts in Douglas, or who sees any suspicious activity in their area, should phone Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222, or call 999 if they see a crime in progress.