Detectives are appealing for information following two burglaries in Co Armagh on Tuesday morning.
The first incident was reported to have taken place just after 9am in the Moninna Villas area of Newry, with the second following almost an hour and a half later in the Forkhill area.
It is reported that a group of men 'armed with a sledgehammer' made off with a sum of cash during the Forkhill burglary.
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At this time, the PSNI are treating the two incidents as 'linked'.
Detective Inspector Duffield said: “At approximately 9.10am, we received a report that approximately two or three men had gained access to a property in the Moninna Villas area of Newry, by smashing a number of windows with what is believed to have been iron bars.
“The men searched number of rooms in the property before making off. It is unclear at this stage if anything has been taken.
“A short time later, at approximately 10.20am we received a second report that around 4 or 5 men armed with a sledgehammer, smashed their way into a house in the New Road area of Forkhill.
“The men placed the homeowner in the kitchen while they ransacked a number of rooms.
“They then made off in a grey coloured Volkswagen Golf with a handbag, which contained a sum of cash and bank cards.
“The victim was uninjured during the incident however has been left badly shaken by the ordeal.
“We are treating these incident as linked and I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed anyone suspicious in the area or to anyone who may have CCTV or doorbell footage that could assist with enquiries, to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference 678 of 11/04/23.”
Alternatively, you can submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/
You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/
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