They have issued brief descriptions of two suspects and are urging people to come forward if they saw anything suspicious which might be linked.

The incidents happened at two homes in Belton Road on Saturday morning. Two men are believed to have been responsible.

They first attempted to break into a house between 8.15am and 8.35am by trying to jemmy a back door and then to make a hole in one of its panels, causing around £1,000 damage. They ran off after being disturbed by a neighbour.

A short time later, between 8.40am and 9.20am an attempt was made to break into another home. The offenders entered a front porch and unsuccessfully tried to jemmy the front door lock, causing about £200 damage.

It’s believed the two crimes are linked and that two men seen in the area are responsible.

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “We are appealing for any information which might help identify and trace these men. In particular, we want to hear from anyone who spotted two men acting suspiciously or a suspicious vehicle in the
Belton Road area between 8.30am and 10.30am on Saturday.

“Both men are white in their late teens or early twenties and both are slim and about 5ft 9ins to 5ft 11ins tall. One was wearing a grey hoody and the other a blue hoody. It’s thought they were possibly wearing blue tracksuit bottoms that were muddy”.

Contact Whitchurch police station on 0300 333 3000 or the anonymous Crimestoppers number, 0800 555 111.