Detectives are investigating six reports of burglaries in Newry on Friday night.
In one of the incidents, masked men armed with crowbars entered a house and threatened the occupant.
All of the incidents occurred between 7pm and 10.30pm.
The PSNI first received a report at about 9.10pm that three masked men, armed with crowbars, entered a house in the Kennard Villas area, threatened the occupant and stole three handbags.
While conducting inquiries, officers observed damage to a door of another house in the Kennard Villas area.
The house was empty and inquiries are ongoing to establish if anything was taken.
Police then received a report shortly after 9.20pm that up to six masked men entered a house via a front window using a sledgehammer in the Carnagat Park area.
They were chased by the occupant and left in a dark-coloured Volkswagen Golf.
Shortly after 9.30pm, a report was received that a house in Beechmount Park was entered, with cash and jewellery reported missing. It is believed the house was entered some time between 8pm and 9.10pm.
A few minutes later, another report was received, stating that three masked men with screwdrivers pushed past an occupant of a house in the Patrick Street area, before making off with cash and a phone.
Around an hour later, at 10.25pm, a sixth report of a burglary of a house in the Carnagat Park area was reported to have occurred some time between 7.30pm and 10.15pm.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “We have launched an investigation and at this time, we are treating these six reports as linked.
“I would appeal to anyone who noticed anything suspicious, or who has CCTV or dashcam footage, in the Newry area between 7pm and 10.30pm to contact detectives on 101 and quote reference 1566 of 13/09/24.”
