POLICE say no hiding place is safe in the home after three houses were ransacked and trashed by burglars in broad daylight.

Detectives are advising residents to not keep valuable items, such as jewellery, in their homes after the incidents in Winifred Road, Pitsea , Clayburn Circle and Takely Ride, both in Basildon .

Each burglary happened during the day with the suspects getting into all three homes by smashing securely locked doors and windows at the back of the properties.

In each case the houses were completely ransacked, with furniture and fittings smashed in every room until valuable gold jewellery was found.

Det Con Julie Dennis, investigating officer, said: “It is sometimes customary for families to keep high value gold or other jewellery safe at home, but these crimes show that nowhere is safe in an ordinary house.

“If you have high value or indeed sentimental value jewellery or other special items that you cannot afford to lose, then please keep these in a bank or other safety deposit storage, not at home.

“Criminals may target your home for various reasons, and no hiding place at home is completely safe.”

Anyone with information should contact Basildon CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The burglaries happened on Tuesday, September 18.