Detectives are continuing to appeal for information after an aggravated burglary in Penwortham.

Police now believe the incident could be linked to an earlier similar offence in Blackburn.

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The Penwortham incident happened at around 6pm on Saturday 28 November at a property in Hawkhurst Road.

Four men forced their way into an address threatening the occupants – an 82-year-old man and his 8-year-old granddaughter – with a screwdriver and a knife. They ransacked the house, stealing cash and personal property.

The group then made off in what is believed to be a dark coloured SUV style vehicle. The offenders are described as white, between 5ft 5in to 5ft 7in tall and aged in their mid-twenties to early thirties.

Read more: 82-year-old man and young granddaughter threatened in Penwortham burglary

The Blackburn offence happened two days earlier at about 7pm on Thursday 26 November at an address in Croftwood Terrace in the town.

A gang of six men entered the house through a rear door and threatened the 21-year-old male occupant, before searching the house and stealing cash, a laptop and a mobile phone.

The offenders are described as six males: one white male, fat build 5ft 10in with black hair, aged late teens/early twenties wearing a light coloured hoodie; a skinny white male aged approximately 15/16years old, 5ft 8/9in with short black hair, wearing red trainers and a hooded top; a skinny Asian male approximately 15/16 years old, 5ft 9in skinny build with black hair. There are no descriptions for the other males.

A dark coloured SUV was seen in the area at the time.

Det Chief Insp Simon Upton of Lancashire Police said: “These are shocking incidents involving violence or threats of violence and we are following a number of lines of enquiry to try and identify and apprehend the offenders.

“I would appeal to anyone who has any information or who saw anything suspicious in the area of these two offences to contact us.”

Anyone with information can call 101 or independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.