A THIEF made off with a car after targeting two homes in Linwood while the owners slept.

The first home at Gilmartin Road was broken into on Friday, November 11 at around 2am.

As the door was unlocked, the crook managed to sneak in but was confronted by the householder.

He ran away without stealing anything from the property.

At around the same time, what is thought to be the same man entered a home at Braidwood Place.

He managed to steal the keys to a black Kia Sedona and made away with the vehicle.

Police believe that both incidents are linked as they happened so close together and at the same time.

The suspect is described as white, in his mid thirties with fair hair and wearing a black baseball hat and jacket.

Chief inspector Simon Wright said: “Two houses were targeted in Linwood in the early hours of the Friday morning.

“The first one was a property in Gilmartin Road and the other in Braidwood Place, where the thief was successful in stealing a car.

“As both happened around the same time we believe that it is likely to be the same person.

“At the house in Gilmartin Road, the suspect entered the unsecured property of the first house but was disturbed by the householder so made off without taking anything.

“Sometime before or after this incident another property was entered at Braidwood Place.

“A vehicle was stolen from that property - a black Kia Sedona.

“It is too close an area for it not to be the same person so we are treating them both as connected.

“We'd like to warn residents to ensure sure windows and doors locked and to double check before bed.”