THEFTS of laptop computers account for a vast majority of all burglaries in Oxford, police revealed.

Although there has been a drop in the number of break-ins this year by 37 per cent, police warn the black market trade for stolen laptop computers is booming.

Most of the burglaries happen in multi-occupancy or student homes where doors and windows are often left open or unlocked.

Laptop computer theft in the city doubled between 2004 and 2006 and there have already been 220 stolen this year. Last week, eight laptops were stolen from cars parked in Thame.

In Divinity Road, East Oxford, three laptops were stolen from one house on Monday, November 26.

Det Sgt John Linsdell has repeated a call to landlords, tenants and homeowners to help stop the rise in laptop theft.

He added: "We want students to come here and enjoy the city and safely conduct their studies and we will do everything we can to stop them being burgled.

"But they've got a duty to help as well by attending to their security.

"In the vast majority of burglaries we are now dealing with, the property stolen is a laptop computer."

Often burglars are spotted selling the stolen computers, which can fetch more than £100, in pubs or even in the street.

University researcher Damien Sereni, 24, of Jeune Street, East Oxford, was burgled earlier this year when a thief used a coat hanger to grab his laptop through a tiny gap in the sash window.

He said: "Nothing else had been disturbed so no-one had been inside - they just reached through into the 3cm gap."

Some burglaries have meant students losing entire dissertations and coursework.

Households and landlords can ask for a crime reduction adviser to visit their home for a security check by calling Graham Milne on 08458 505505.