THIEVES broke into two Kirby Cross homes less than a mile away from each other.

The burglars forced open a rear window of one home in Peake Avenue, grabbing several items of jewellery and stashing them in a pillowcase taken from the house.

Another raid took place in Frinton Road, near the junction with Willow Avenue.

A uPVC door was forced open at the second home, with crooks snatching a watch, two laptops, a digital camera and a sum of cash.

Both break-ins happened during the daytime on Friday and police are linking the two incidents.

Det con Luke Howard said: “There is a strong possibility that the same people carried out both of these burglaries, given the short distance between the properties.

“The Peake Avenue property is next to the train station so could potentially have been the burglars’ escape route, which is why we’re looking to speak with those train users who may have spotted others who were strange to the area or who were acting suspiciously.”

Anyone with information should contact Clacton detectives on 101.