People in one part of Merseyside are 'unsettled' after several homes were targeted by criminals.
Maghull and Melling have both been the subject of crimes involving burglaries and thefts.
Merseyside Police are now increasing patrols in the areas following continued reports.
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Alarm bells have been raised by local councillors, with councillors John Sayers and Tony Carr both taking to social media to spread the news.
Cllr Sayers took to a local Facebook group to share the news that there had been a spike in incidents.
He posted: "Just heard of an attempted break-in on the Old Hall estate, burglars disturbed by the householder, similar modus operandi to that described below. Occurred early evening so bit cheeky, described as two males, dark clothes, masks, anything suspicious, please call 999. Stay safe all."
Speaking to the ECHO, the Park ward councillor said: "It's unsettling for people. In the old days before social media people didn't really hear about break-ins unless they were close friends whereas now the whole community gets to hear about it and it's unsettling for people, especially those who live on their own.
"The plus side to it is there's strength in numbers so if everyone comes together, watches out for these people, joins the local neighbourhood watch and contacts the police if they see something."
Merseyside Police has confirmed that there have been seven burglaries, six in Maghull and one in Melling.
Detective Inspector Tony O’Brien who heads the Burglary Team (Operation Castle), said: “It appears that the offenders are attempting to force entry via rear patio doors.
“I would like to reassure residents that we are doing all we can to bring these offenders to justice. We have increased patrols in Maghull and Melling to detect criminality and detain suspects in order to keep our communities safe.
“This crime can have a profound effect on the lives of victims, from the shock and unease felt by having somebody invade your home, the inconvenience of losing property, through to the often severe long-term psychological impacts.
“I urge residents to take a look at the link below which provides advice on the different ways you can make your homes unattractive targets for would-be criminals. Advice is available on our website for locks, cameras and other measures to bring greater security and peace of mind.”
Detective Inspector O’Brien added: “Since the launch of Operation Castle in 2018, we have seen offenders sentenced to a total of more than 400 years in prison and seen burglary offences decrease year on year. Vital to this progress is information from those people, businesses and communities affected, so keep coming forward and we will take action.”
Click here for advice and protection against burglary: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime/
You can also report any concerns to police on 999 if a crime is in progress, via 101, or via Twitter @MerPolCC.
You can also pass information via the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org
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