Police are warning Ilkley residents to be extra vigilant for burglars following a ‘cluster’ of house burglaries.

Inspector Sue Sanderson is urging people to check their home security and make sure their doors are locked, after six burglaries in the area last month. The majority of the house burglaries were in Ben Rhydding, near to the railway station, a slight increase in the crime locally, she said.

But Inspector Sanderson said police were working to combat the crime, sending in specialist officers as well as Neighbourhood Policing Team officers.

She said police operate a system of visiting 40 homes around areas affected by crime, warning householders the offenders may return to the area, and asking them to look at their own home security.

“We’re really asking people to be mindful of that, report anything suspicious, and keep an eye on their own property.”

Insp Sanderson said burglars had got into some of the houses through insecure doors, but forced their way into others, or broke Europrofile cylinder-type locks.

She urged residents to have this type of lock checked.

Burglars also broke into a domestic garage in Ilkley in November and stole bicycles. There were a number of bike thefts reported across Wharfedale earlier this year, leading to fears thieves could be using social media to locate the owners of valuable bikes.

Insp Sanderson said there was a total of 22 crimes in Ilkley last month.

This included a single report of a theft from a motor vehicle, and one complaint of anti-social behaviour.

Police had an exceptionally good year in 2012, with lower levels of crime, she said, but there has since been a slight increase in house burglaries.

Arrests were made in Ilkley in November in connection with shoplifting and burglary, and a fixed penalty notice was handed out to a person for being drunk and disorderly.

A community resolution was agreed over a shoplifting incident.