Police urge Milton Keynes residents to help them combat burglaries over winter

A Thames Valley Police (TVP) spokesperson said that as the nights grow darker, there is a national trend of an increase in burglaries.

The spokesperson said: "Burglars take advantage of more obscure places to hide un-noticed and spotting which houses are unoccupied, making them easier targets.

"As a result, officers in Milton Keynes are intensifying activity to combat burglaries. TVP are using crime data to identify areas that are often targeted by burglars and increasing patrols in these areas to deter and disrupt those looking to commit crime."

TVP said they will be using intelligence gathered from officers and the community to identify trends and patterns and use covert patrols to catch burglars in the act.

In support of this operational activity, they will also be sharing advice and raising awareness with members of the public on how to protect their homes from burglars.

Detective Inspector James Horseman said: “Being burgled can be an emotional and traumatic experience for victims and I want to make sure that we do all we can to prevent residents of Milton Keynes from having to go through this.

“Burglary detectives will be working with officers from teams across Milton Keynes to pursue and disrupt burglars and I want to share advice with local residents so that they can take some simple and practical steps to reduce the risk of falling victim to a burglary and ultimately, join us in giving burglars a hard time.

“Most burglars are opportunists, so will take advantage of any moment we are seen to be letting our guard down when it comes to home security. The key things to remember are:

“Be sure to leave a light on if you leave your home unattended. A timer switch can help in giving the illusion that someone is home even if it is not the case.

“Make sure you lock your doors and windows, even when you are inside your house. Getting into this habit means that there is never a time when you go to bed leaving the door unlocked.

“Make sure garden tools and ladders are stored away in a shed, garage or locked storage container when they aren’t in use. Burglars often use the victim’s own items to break into homes so make sure this opportunity is taken away from them.

“You know your neighbourhood better than anyone and you will know when something seems out of place. Please tell us about these suspicions. Your information could be the piece of the puzzle that we need to identify a burglar and stop them from committing further crimes."

To contact police about a burglary visit their website or call 101. If a crime is in progress then always call 999.

The Milton Keynes Priority Crime and Neighbourhood teams will be running an online question and answer session on burglary and home security from 6pm on Thursday, December 3. You can join the session on the evening by visiting www.tvpengage.co.uk/mk