A 77-year-old man was among householders targeted when burglars blatantly broke into five homes in broad daylight.
Police are calling for witnesses following the thefts which saw cash and jewellery stolen from addresses in Pound Hill.
The man and his wife were burgled after they left their home in Worth Park Avenue for a few hours on Monday August 12.
When they returned at about 2.30pm, their home had been ransacked and cash, gold earrings, gold chains and gold rings, including a diamond engagement ring were missing.
Police believe the thieves entered the house by climbing onto a flat garage roof and forcing open a bathroom window.
The same thieves are believed to have broken into a home in nearby Grattons Drive between 9.30am and 1.30pm that day.
A large quantity of jewellery and cash was taken.
Grattons Drive was the target of a third burglary on Thursday (August 15) when a house was broken into between 8.20am and 10.40am.
This time, a small quantity of Euros and Egyptian currency and two jewellery boxes were taken.
On the same day, burglars entered a house in Pearson Road between 11.50am and 2.50pm while the owners were out. They stole a DKNY ladies’ watch, a UK passport, a small amount of Euros and Egyptian jewellery.
The final burglary took place that day between 10.30am and 3.50pm in St Catherine’s Road. This time, a quantity of Euros, gold rings including wedding and engagement rings and other gold jewellery was taken.
All five crimes are being investigated as part of Operation Magpie, launched by Sussex Police to tackle burglary across the county.
Detective Constable Andrew Robinson said: “All of these homes were broken into in the middle of the day after their owners had gone out but when many other people were around.
“It is possible the thieves watched the properties and deliberately waited for the owners to leave before they broke in.Please tell us anything you saw, no matter how insignificant it might seem to you.
“Someone must have seen something.”
Anyone with information should call 101 quoting serial 1013 of 12 August or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.