DETECTIVES are hunting a gang of travelling thieves after a spate of high-value burglaries.

Officers in Newcastle have launched an investigation after five similar burglaries were reported in just five days.

The first burglary took place between 6.30pm and 8.40pm on Thursday, March 14, when intruders broke into a home on The Crest in Dinnington.

After ransacking the property they made off with a haul of jewellery believed to be worth more than £50,000.

Three houses were targeted on Friday evening where thieves raided a house at Windsor Court in Brunton Bridge and houses on Cragside and Oakhurst Drive in Heaton.

On Tuesday evening occupants of a property on Brighton Road in Gateshead disturbed a gang of intruders who fled empty-handed.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Knox said: “We believe that the gang have Irish accents and we think they have been using a dark car, potentially a Mercedes C-class, during the offences.”