Police are warning high-rise residents tempted to leave their balcony doors open during hot summer nights of a spate of unsolved "Spider-Man" burglaries.
Dutton Park Police Senior Sergeant Greg Bishop said there were four burglaries in Kangaroo Point and West End between January 25 and January 30, and they all could have been easily prevented by locked doors.
![Police said the recent spate of so-called "Spider-Man burglaries" could have been easily prevented.](/web/20170203131829im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/4/9/n/u/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu5dh7.png/1486121149718.jpg)
"The offender will scale a building, and what we find is they will just go to each balcony entry and if the door opens they'll go in," he said.
If the burglar comes across a locked door, Senior Sergeant Bishop said they would simply move on to the next apartment.
"We've never seen forced entry."
He said the apartment break-ins were common in the inner-south of Brisbane, with burglars usually climbing between two and six storeys high, but any level could be a target.
"Within the last 12 months we've had burglaries up to 12, 15 stories," he said.
The thieves work in the dead of the night, taking "very portable" objects such as wallets, credit cards and jewellery, which were often left in easy-to-find places.
"They're not walking out with a plasma screen TV, they're picking up what you or I would be putting on a sideboard or table," Senior Sergeant Bishop said.
"These offences occur when people are in their beds asleep. Our concern is if an occupant wakes up a conflict could occur."
The senior sergeant said the thefts frustrated police because they "rarely recover" the stolen goods, and they are easily preventable.
"People are a bit slack with their security," he said.
"People just think that they're off the ground so they'll be safe."
As for the latest "Spider-Man" burglary spree, the senior sergeant said the offender was sighted at the Bell Street, Kangaroo Point theft.
He was described as a Caucasian in his 20s, with a slim build and short brown hair.
Anyone with information about the robbery or other high-rise thefts should contact Crime Stoppers.