Arrests made and patrols increased in North Swindon following series of burglaries

By Jamie Hill - 15 March 2017

CommunityCrime

Police have been stepping up patrols in North Swindon following a series of burglaries in the area.

Haydon Wick and Abbey Meads have seen a series of burglaries in recent months. Some of these have been opportunists striking at insecure homes, while others have involved bricks being thrown through windows in a bid to gain entry.

A house in Henman Close was broken into on 8 March and a second house in the same street was broken into on 11 March. Bricks were thrown through a back window and Apple products, jewellery and cash were stolen.

On 11 March, a similar incident occurred in Hillside Way, Blunsdon. This time, jewellery was stolen.

Last week, a 14-year-old male and two 15-year-old males, all from Swindon, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

PC Phillippa Sharpley, the Community Coordinator for the Swindon North Sector, said: “A number of arrests have now been made in connection with these incidents.

“Despite these arrests, we will not be complacent and our investigations are very much continuing.

“In a bid to reduce crimes of this nature, we have increased patrols, both overtly and covertly, in the areas where we have seen the biggest problems – Haydon Wick and Abbey Meads. We hope that this not only acts as a deterrent, but also helps with our investigations to find those responsible.

“Although some of the burglaries in the area have been as a result of windows being smashed, we are still continuing to see burglaries at homes which have been left insecure. Please ensure all doors and windows are locked to help reduce the risk of falling victim to this type of crime, and do not leave keys under plant pots, near to windows, or by cat flaps – thieves know all the hiding places and this simply gives them an easy route into your home.

“It’s also important to remind residents not to keep large amounts of cash in your homes – even inside safes. We have seen safes stolen from inside properties and this can obviously be very upsetting for the victims.

“Finally, I’d like to encourage residents to be nosey neighbours – if you see any suspicious vehicles or people in your street acting in a suspicious manner, take a note of their registration plates and report it to police with as much of a description as possible. This helps increase our chances of catching the offenders.”

Report burglaries via 101, or if the crime is in progress, call 999.

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