Householders are being warned to guard against burglars who have the know-how to break a particular type of lock.

The Christmas period traditionally sees an increase in burglaries so West Yorkshire Police neighbourhood policing teams are visiting residents and leaving leaflets which identify door handles which are most vulnerable.

The advisory leaflets also recommend solutions and contact details for companies which supply strengthening products either for free or at a discounted rate.

Detective Chief Inspector Sukhbir Singh said: "We're not trying to scare people, we just want to give them the option to make sure their home is protected.

"In fact over the past year, several people have been given prison sentences for this type of burglary, with one prolific burglar being sentenced to three years so the police take this type of crime very seriously.

"This way of breaking into a property has now overtaken sneak-in burglaries in some areas.

"Using basic tools available at any DIY store, criminals can break into your home silently in seconds. By updating your door handles you can prevent this from happening."