TWO Whittle-le-Woods families will return from Easter holidays this week to find their homes ransacked and cars stolen.

Burglars struck at two separate addresses over the Bank Holiday weekend, breaking into both homes, stealing the car keys and filling the owners' vehicles with property before driving off.

Between 8am on Thursday, April 17, and 9.15am on the following day thieves broke into a detached bungalow in Lady Crosse Drive by forcing open a window.

They stole property worth £8,100, including a Philips television and video, a Dyson vacuum and Wilson golfing equipment.

Police believe they spent "a fair amount" of time in the bungalow before making off in the family's grey Vauxhall Vectra, which was parked on the driveway.

In the second incident, between 7pm on Saturday, April 19, and 9am the following day, thieves raided a shed at a detached house in Preston Road, and stole a screwdriver which they then used to force open a house window.

They searched all the rooms, taking an £800 Hitachi television, video player and a portable television.

After finding the keys to the owner's red Volkswagon Golf, they filled it with their haul and made off.

Detective Gareth Stockley, of Chorley CID, said: "Although we cannot say if the two burglaries were carried out by the same gang, what we can say is that they were in a similar location, at a similar time and were both carried out in the same way."

If you have any information about the burglaries call Chorley police on 01257 269021 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.