Three flats were broken into by burglars targeting Kingston on Tuesday.

Two homes were burgled and another empty flat broken into at Regents Court, Kingston, near the station on Tuesday, September 20.

Luke Farrell, 30, said he came from work yesterday afternoon at about 4.30pm and was nearly attacked by his landlady with a hammer after being mistaken for the burglars.

Three flats, including the one he lives in with girlfriend Jennifer Ring, 29, a Mitcham teacher, had been broken into by a crowbar or jemmy to the front doors.

One empty flat had a flat-screen TV in its packaging but was left by burglars.

He said: "They must have been really quick. For us they didn't even go into the kitchen or living room.

"They went straight into the office and the bedroom and went through really quickly."

He said old laptops, an MP3 player, a Kindle, a Tiffany bracelet and a Tiffany necklace, Links of London jewellery and watches were stolen.

A Thai restaurant below had captured a CCTV image of a silver Vauxhall Estate at about 12.30pm that day which police were now investigating.

He said: "We were just really shocked. It is just the sentimental stuff. Why would they take that?"

Mr Farrell said he was most surprised at the police's confidence they would catch the culprits.

A detective visited last night, fingerprint teams were around this morning and the burglary detectives from the BRIT team came and spoke to the restaurant to take the CCTV.

Officers believe the car may have been caught on town centre CCTV, he said.

He said: "I used to live up north and police used to just say 'you'll never catch them. You'll never see them again'."