A woman who lost hundreds of pounds to burglars has called on the crooks to do an honest day's work.

The 55-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, was raided early in the morning while she was asleep at her home in Rose Hill. A burglar forced open an unlocked window and stole her handbag, which contained bank cards and pin codes.

The raid was just one of 14 burglaries in Temple Cowley, Rose Hill and Littlemore over two weeks.

The mother-of-three was woken by a noise at 5.15am last Wednesday, but decided not to investigate.

She said: "I thought I had closed the window but I had clearly not locked it prop- erly.

"I must have heard them knock something over because I woke up and thought about getting up but decided to wait a bit longer for my alarm.

"When I went downstairs I saw my handbag had been taken from the sofa. I had stupidly left my pin codes with my cards."

Bank withdrawal records showed that about 15 minutes after the burglary £700 was withdrawn from three of her accounts at a cash machine in Temple Cowley.

The burglars dumped the bag but left £35 inside.

The victim added: "I've been really kicking myself about it ever since. But I don't like to think someone was inside while I was upstairs awake.

"It's amazing how easy it is to think you've locked the window when you haven't and people can tell.

"I've been looking very suspiciously at people and certainly been much more careful about my new cards and pin numbers.

"I'm angry but what do you do about these people? Do they need help to get off drugs or are they just doing it for kicks?

"They have come into my house, taken my property and got some money - why can't they do a decent honest day's work like everyone else?"

Police patrols have been stepped up in the area following the burglaries between Sunday, February 11, and the weekend.

One suspect seen in the area was described as a white man aged 35 to 40, of medium build, 5ft 8ins tall and balding. He was carrying a blue, collapsible laundry basket. Pc Ian Uttley, of Oxford Police burglary team, said: "We are doing everything we can to track down the thieves behind this spate of burglaries.

"But in the meantime we are urging residents to take make sure they don't become victims of crime themselves.

"As well as checking their domestic security, it is vital people remember the basics such as making sure all windows are closed when there's nobody home or at night."

Anyone with any information should call Pc Uttley on 08458 505505.