September 24 was particularly bad with 14 break and enters on that one night.

Targets included the high rise apartment buildings on Forster Main Beach such as Beaches International and Oceanic Apartments.

At Beaches International an unknown thief climbed up to the eighth floor to enter an unlocked balcony door.

“When you’re up on the eighth level you just wouldn’t believe it could be done – the building definitely wasn’t designed to be scaled. He was definitely taking his life into his own hands,” manager Greg Randall said.

According to Inspector Chris Hurst it was mostly jewellery, cameras and watches that were stolen.

He reminds holiday makers and those living in high rise apartments to always keep balcony doors locked and valuables out of sight.

“Don’t leave valuables lying around, if somebody does break in, they’re not going to hang around trying to look for them,” he said.

Inspector Hurst said police have requested that apartment owners and managers display signs warning of these death-defying thieves but some may be reluctant due to the negative picture it may portray of the town.

But Mr Randall says he is doing the right thing, putting up warning signs near elevators and in apartments.

“They say something like: ‘thieves take holidays too’.”

Also hit were homes in the Pacific Palms area with one woman taking it upon herself to distribute leaflets in her neighbourhood warning residents to keep their doors locked.

“People need to be warned about this and reminded that as we head into the summer season this is what happens.”

Business houses were also the target of thieves, with a lucrative haul (a five figure sum), in Breese Parade in the early hours of September 23 encouraging even more break-and-enters. Police were compelled to send a newsletter out to business owners reminding them not to leave large amounts of cash on their premises.

“Yes there’s been a rise in break and enters in the month of September but the police have put strategies into place, and the matters are under investigation,” Insp Hurst said.