MORE than 22 homes and businesses are burgled every single day in Sussex.

The latest figures released by Sussex Police show there were 680 burglaries a month between September 2016 and September 2017.

The force released the figures as they warned residents to be braced for even more break ins when the clocks change and over Bonfire Night and Halloween. Police said they planned to tackle the problem with a social media campaign to encourage people to protect their homes.

The figures show a rise from an average of 19 burglaries a day in the previous year.

Detective Chief Inspector Alasdair Henry said: "Burglary isn’t only about the physical act of someone breaking in and stealing material possessions. It can have a profound and lasting emotional effect on the victim.”

"The change of season not only brings longer evenings but the opportunity to be out celebrating bonfire events and Hallowe’en activities. Be mindful that your home could be vulnerable to burglary if it isn’t protected. The best defence against burglary is prevention.

Sussex Police has been sharing burglary victim's personal stories to try to encourage people to protect themselves.

They include a university student who woke to find someone inside his hall of residence bedroom stealing his laptop containing all his course work, a woman's who home was broken in to and car taken from her drive, robbing her of her independence, and pensioners tricked by comment who manipulated their way into their homes..

People are advised to keep wallets, purses and car keys out of sight.

To lock all doors and windows when going out - even inly into the garden, and to leave a light on if going out at night.

To help protect your home or business Sussex Police advise registering your belongings on the Immobilise national property register.

Police also advised people to join their local neighbourhood watch and keep up to date with crime in your neighbourhood https://www.intheknow.community