St Ives: Police Investigate 20 Burglaries

1 February 2013, 14:04 | Updated: 1 February 2013, 14:14

Cambridgeshire Police believe 20 recent burglaries in St Ives and the surrounding area could be linked.

The majority of break-ins have happened during the day in St Ives (St Ives Road and Burstellars and Hemingford Road) and Somersham (The Trundle and surrounding area).

People living in these areas are being advised by Police to watch out for suspicious activity.

Sergeant Dave Savill said: "In the past month we have seen a rise in burglaries in the town and surrounding area which we believe may be part of a series. 

The majority of offences are happening during the day with offenders targeting homes while people are working. 

Local officers are patrolling the area and advising residents of some basic security measures. 

We are also working with the force's tactical team and traffic officers to increase patrols in the targeted areas and work is ongoing to trace those responsible. 

The public also play an important role and I would urge people to remain vigilant to activity in their neighbourhood, reporting anything out of the ordinary or suspicious to police."

To reduce the risk of becoming a victim: 

• It's important to make your home look lived in and ask neighbours to keep an eye on it when you are not in. 
• Consider installing light timers. Burglars will target homes in darkness as there is less of a risk of being spotted.
• If the bins are due to be collected, ask your neighbours to move them on and off your drive for you. 
• Report unusual activity such as people knocking at your door. If you believe someone knocking at your door could be a burglar then contact police immediately. This type of information can be used to gain a better understanding of how criminals are operating in your area.
• Keep a note of any unusual vehicles parking in your area and pass information to the police. 

Deterrents: 

• Alarms: Install an alarm - even an empty box on the side of your home can be enough to put off a burglar. 
• Dogs: A 'beware of the dog' sign can be enough to put off an intruder, regardless of whether a dog is present. 
• Lock up your shed: Offenders do not like carrying break-in tools as they may be searched en-route to a burglary. 
• They often raid sheds to get their hands on tools to burgle. 
• Strong communities are also a deterrent for burglars: Make friends with your neighbours or join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.