RESIDENTS living near major North Yorkshire trunk roads have been told to be on their guard for travelling opportunist burglars.

The warning comes after a spate of raids on homes in the A1M corridor, which police believe may have been carried out by a team from Leeds.

Officers believe that up to seven homes in Knaresb-orough, Spofforth, Boroughbridge and Kirby Hill were targeted in one 24-hour period.

Intruders made off with a massive haul, including a Fiat Stilo car and thousands of pounds-worth of electrical goods and valuables.

PC Geoff Crocker, of North Yorkshire Police, said homeowners adjacent to the A1M must be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

He said: "They have obviously been in a vehicle and we believe that there were other properties they have looked at as well because of disturbances.

"They found it easy enough to break in to properties that did not have a burglar alarm, while other homes were left insecure.

"In one case in Borough-bridge, they have forced open a door using a flat-bladed tool stolen from a neighbour's shed.

"We are telling residents to put their car keys out of sight, lock your doors and get a burglar alarm. These three things will stop your life being wrecked by a burglary."

The first raids took place in the early hours of Monday morning, and began at Spofforth where potential thieves were scared off by a burglar alarm.

Later that night, three neighbouring homes in Orchard Hill, Boroughbridge, were raided, two through unlocked doors and the third via a window which was forced open.

A similar offence occurred in Knaresborough on Monday afternoon where a UPVC panel was forced to allow access to another home.

Finally, two homes in Kirby Hill, Boroughbridge, were entered on Monday evening and several other homes targeted.

Police have since traced some credit cards stolen in the burglaries to transactions at stores in Leeds. They are also looking for a stolen grey Fiat Stilo, registration WU52 FJZ.

The large amount of electrical equipment stolen including a digital camera, a camcorder, and a Sony Playstation and games. Several hundreds of pounds worth of distinctive Nao and Lladro ceramic figurines were also taken.

Since the raids, community and Farm Watch teams have been alerted and extra police patrols, including those using Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles, put in place.

Anyone with information about these crimes should phone Harrogate CID on 0845 60 60 247 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Updated: 11:02 Thursday, March 10, 2005