Officers from the West Inner and West Outer neighbourhood policing teams, which cover the Wortley, Armley, Bramley, Pudsey, Farnley, Farsley and Calverley areas, are targeting hotspots to warn residents about sneak-in burglaries, which traditionally rise at this time of year with the warmer weather.

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Officers will be scouring neighbourhoods on the lookout for homes where windows and doors are left open or unlocked, or valuables have been left on display.

Fliers in the shape of a life-size hairy arm, featuring crime prevention advice, will be posted through insecure windows and doors and officers will be speaking to residents to warn them of the risks they face by leaving their homes vulnerable.

Inspector Richard Cawkwell, of the West Outer NPT, said: "Warning people about sneak-ins is a message we can never tire of repeating given the large proportion of burglaries that happen when people leave doors and windows insecure.

"We hope that the eye-catching hairy arm fliers will be impactive in reminding people to take the simplest of precautions to protect their homes. I'm sure people would rather have one of our arm 'hairy arms' as a warning than the arm of real thief taking their valuables.

"It is a sad fact that thieves are out there, particularly when the weather is good, actively looking for opportunities to steal from people's homes. They want to be in and out as quickly and quietly as possible and an open door or window is an open invitation to them.

"We will continue doing all we can to target and arrest the burglars but we need local people to help us by taking their home security seriously. Even if you're just out in the back garden enjoying the sunshine or elsewhere in the house think about whether you're doors are locked. There are a range of products available that mean people can keep their homes well ventilated in the hot weather without them being vulnerable to thieves."