POLICE this afternoon appealed for witnesses after two burglaries occurred in villages near Bicester, which officers believe may be linked.

The first took place at a property on Paddocks Road, Ardley, overnight between 5pm on Tuesday, February 19, and 8am on Wednesday. A window was forced and after a quick search nothing was stolen.

The other took place in Forge Place in Fritwell sometime between 11am on February 17 and 9.30am on Thursday, February 21 while the occupants were away.

Again a rear window was forced open and the thief undertook an untidy search and it is still not confirmed whether anything has been taken.

There was also an attempted burglary in Mere Road, Finmere, at about 4.45pm on February 21, which also may be linked.

Two men approached the house and the side gate lock was broken off. One man went to the front door and rang to doorbell whilst the other walked around to the rear and looked in the window.

The homeowner was still in the house and shouted out that he was going to call the police; the men ran to a waiting car and escaped.

The first man is white, 6ft tall, stocky and was wearing a light-coloured hat with a peak at the front.

The other is white, 5ft 8in tall, in his late 20s or early 30s, stocky with a chubby face. He was wearing a light-coloured peaked hat and was wearing a workman's belt around his waist.

Det Con Samantha Burley said: "The close proximity of these two burglaries and other evidence means we are linking them. While they have shattered these residents' sense of security, we are glad nothing seems to have been stolen.

"If someone is targeting the villages north of Bicester we want to catch them before they try again. That is why I am also appealing for witnesses to this other incident, which may also be linked.

"It is unclear if these men were burglars assessing if the property was empty or actually distraction burglars thinking of conning the resident. Either way it is obvious they were intent on committing a crime and we need to find them."

Det Con Burley can be contacted via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don't want to talk to police and don't want to leave your name, call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.