BURGLARS stole a haul of powerful prescription drugs and two packets of crisps.

The crooks broke into the house, in Rosebay Avenue on Billericay’s Queens Park estate, while the homeowner was in.

The 23-year-old woman heard a noise in her kitchen and when she went to investigate, found it had been ransacked.

She later found the crooks had stolen two boxes of the painkiller morphine – the medical formulation of heroin – and two packets of crisps.

Detectives said the drugs could prove dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands.

Det Con John Commons, of Billericay CID, said: “These prescription drugs will cause muscle cramps or respiratory problems if used inappropriately, so I would urge the thieves to return them to a police station immediately.

“We are also looking for any witnesses.

“It is a busy housing estate which has just one road circling it.

“The burglary happened during morning rush hour, when parents were taking their children to the nearby school. Commuters were walking to the railway station and people were jumping into their cars.”

Anyone with information about the burglary, which happened at 9am yesterday, is asked to contact Det Con Commons at Billericay police station, on 0300 3334444, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 5551111.