Police have today issued a warning to residents to lock their homes after four of the seven unlawful entries which occurred at the weekend in Alice Springs were through unlocked doors and windows.

Superintendent Michael Murphy said two homes in the Gap area were unlawfully entered after offenders made their way in through an unlocked door and an unlocked window. One of the homes in Ballingal Street had a wallet and keys stolen after thieves entered through an unlocked door just before 10pm on Saturday.

A residence in South Terrace was unlawfully entered through an unlocked toilet window just after 2.30am on Saturday morning. Thieves made off with two iPods, a pair of Nike runners and a baseball cap.

A unit in Leichardt Terrace was unlawfully entered around 7.45pm on Saturday after thieves forced a rear sliding door. They were apparently disturbed by the occupant and fled without taking any property.

A home in Woods Terrace was unlawfully entered after offenders forced a window. The incident occurred just after midnight on Saturday night while the occupants were watching TV. The offenders appear to have stolen a wallet and car keys and a Toyota Hi-lux utility. The vehicle was returned some time later, but thieves then made off with a DRZ 250 motor cycle.

Two sets of car keys were stolen from a Head Street home after thieves walking in through an unlocked door some time between 9pm on Saturday and 8.30am on Sunday and an unlocked window was the point of entry when thieves entered a Plumbago Crescent home in Sadadeen just after 2am on Sunday morning. They made off with two wallets and a set of car keys before stealing a Hyundai sedan which was parked in the driveway. The vehicle was later recovered.

The occupant of an Undoolya Road unit found her home had been unlawfully entered sometime before 3am on Sunday as she slept. Thives had ransacked drawers in the downstairs area and then made off with a mobile phone and cigarettes.

Superintendent Michael Murphy said the number of incidents in which entry was gained because windows and doors were not locked were avoidable.

" These sorts of offenders are generally opportunistic, and if we make it easy for them by leaving doors and windows open we risk having our property stolen," Supt Murphy said.

" I would urge members of the community to report any suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 "

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