BURGLARS have been breaking into people’s homes and targeting Christmas presents – and even leaving the ones they don’t want unwrapped.

Yesterday police issued an urgent plea to the public to call 999 the minute they suspect a break-in after five Risinghurst and Sandhills homes within a one-mile radius were targeted on Monday.

Oxford police’s burglary team believe the thieves were on the lookout for jewellery because of the price of gold which has nearly doubled to £1,028 an ounce in a year.

At a home in Green Road, the thieves stole jewellery and unwrapped a present that contained a blender – only to leave it behind.

And at a property in Collinwood Road they unwrapped all the presents but didn’t bother to steal them.

Ds Claire Storry said: “We don’t know whether they forgot to take it, or were saying ‘look what we could have done’. It’s not very nice.

“For the people who had presents opened they feel vulnerable now – it has really affected them that their Christmas presents have been ripped open and abandoned.”

The five break-ins are being linked by detectives because of their close proximity, the timing and the fact that the burglars appear to have been looking for jewellery.

Ds Storry added: “It could be driven by gold prices because it is now so expensive, but they are taking other jewellery as well.

“Gold is particularly easy to get rid of because of ‘cash for gold’ places and companies you can send gold off to for money.

“And of course it’s much simpler for a burglar to walk away with a pocketful of jewellery rather than a 42-inch plasma screen TV.”

Burglaries in the city are currently on the rise with tough economic conditions being blamed for a surge in break-ins.

Ds Storry said anyone who fears a burglary should call police immediately on 101.

Earlier this month, police statistics showed a 17.3 per cent increase in homes targeted in the seven months up to October 31 compared to the same period 12 months ago – with fears that figure could increase above 20 per cent by the end of December.

Ds Storry said: “We have seen people having their Christmas presents stolen in burglaries.

“One family had bought their Christmas presents from (weekly payment store) BrightHouse and put them in the shed.

“They’ve now been stolen and the children won’t have any Christmas presents, but the father is still having to pay for the items.

“We’d just remind everyone to put presents out of sight, with large or valuable gifts somewhere like the loft until Christmas Day and lock your doors and windows.”