POLICE advice is being given out in a Valleys town after a spate of opportunist burglaries in the area.

PC Tim Williams, the new ward officer for Abertillery, has started delivering leaflets offering crime prevention advice in streets that have been targeted.

He says an unusual type of burglary has been seen in the town recently - and there have been three cases in the last month.

"We are seeing incidents where people walk down the road at night, trying the front doors of houses just to see if any are unlocked," he said. "Cash has been taken from some of these houses."

PC Williams says it is a particularly difficult type of crime to deal with. This is partly because the would-be burglar does not need to carry any equipment, such as crowbars, that might arouse suspicion.

And, because only money is stolen rather than property, that can also make it difficult to bring a burglar to justice.

Terrace houses where the front door opens directly on to the street are particularly susceptible to opportunist crime.

Now PC Williams has started issuing the crime prevention leaflets that warn householders to take extra care and make sure they always lock their front doors.

The first leaflets have been issued in the Bishop Street and Evelyn Street areas.

PC Williams took over as the new ward officer for Abertillery and Six Bells last month. He had previously worked in the town, before spending a period in Llanhilleth.

And another ward officer is due to start work in the Roseheyworth and Cwmtillery areas of the town in December.

* Anyone with information about the burglaries should contact Abertillery police on 01495 212021.