Burglary is intrusive, it has a lasting impact on the victim & the community, it makes people afraid

It is for these reasons why it is a top priority for Lancashire Police.

In the latest of our special reports looking at silent crimes, the Lancashire Post and the Blackpool Gazette have been looking into the issue of burglary across the county and what the police are doing to tackle it.

Our Silent Crimes campaign, run with our sister titles across the National World City World titles, highlights crimes unreported or under-investigated by the authorities.

Burglary is often a personal crime as it involves an offender entering a victim’s safe and personal space. Not only are residential burglaries an issue in Lancashire, but so are commercial burglaries, which cost businesses thousands of pounds each year.

Blackpool’s Devonshire Road and wider Brunswick ward has been the target of many burglaries.

In July, a burglar smashed his way into Costa Coffee causing thousands of pounds of damage only to get away with the staff tip jar and charity collection left on the counter.

Brian Roberts, chair of the Brunswick PACT group, said: “Burglary is a problem. It leaves people feeling vulnerable.

“I remember the incident at Costa Coffee on Devonshire Road. A thief stole masonry from a nearby house and used it to smash their way into the shop. They caused so much damage and all they got away with was a charity collection and a tip jar.

“The staff told me the cost to replace just one window was £3,000 and there was a lot broken.

“Even with insurance the hassle this has caused to the business is significant.

"The staff at these places are on a basic wage, and they rely on tips to provide that extra source of income. So for them to be targeted also seems extra unfair.”

In Leyland, four town centre businesses including Market Ale House, Rum Jacks Bar, Annies Kitchen, and Mumbai Massala have all recently been targeted by burglars.

Thieves struck at new Irish bar Rum Jacks in Towngate, Leyland just days before its grand opening on September 28.

Thieves struck early on Monday morning - around 7am - when a rock was hurled through its front entrance. After smashing the glass and forcing their way inside, they snatched the bar’s stock of spirits before making their getaway.

The bar’s owners said they got away with boxes of champagne and bottles of brandy, whiskey and other spirits.

But the bar’s owners refused to let the burglary from stopping them from going ahead with their grand opening party.

Burglary happens for many reasons but one running theme across Lancashire and other parts of the UK is drug users see it as an easy way to pay for their drug habits.

Inspector Jon Campbell-Smith, of Lancashire Police, said: "Burglary is one of those crimes that is intrusive into people's lives. The effect it can have on the victim can be enormous, so for this reason we treat any burglary a serious matter.

“In Blackpool, we have a number of issues, whether residential or in our town centre areas.

“Crime has a lasting effect, not just on the victim but also on the broader community, because it leaves a fear of crime.

“You know if your neighbour has been burgled, or the local shop that you go into has been burgled, and people become scared. The effect that can have on a business can be devastating."

PC Jack McGoldrick managed to identify patterns of two different strings over burglaries a year apart, using the same methods and targeting similar businesses around Blackpool town centre. 

He said: "Around a year ago, we had a big pattern of commercial burglaries around the town centre; we had 30 or 40 within a couple of months, which caused a lot of tension between the business owners and the residents who had a vested interest and the MP got involved.

“Fast forward to last year, and the trend started again. It was down to 10s or 20s. Four or five in Brunswick, the rest in the town centre, all the same pattern, MO, same things were being stolen and smashing windows to get in."

To combat this, the Lancashire police utilised forensic evidence and trawled CCTV footage to track the burglars' movements and send out bulletins to try to catch them. However, it was through their work with the Brunswick Police and Community Together (PACT) group, chaired by Brian Roberts, that they were eventually able to arrest the perpetrator.

Sergeant Sean Dixon said: "It is quite hard to identify crime trends when you have hundreds of things coming in. Jack managed to notice that the way that the crimes were being committed, there were distinctive similarities between them, using rocks to smash windows to gain entry, going for tip jars and going for charity boxes, what we didn't know was who the perpetrator was, we brought it up at the local PACT meeting and residents came forward with CCTV, which allowed us to identify potential suspects. 

“For example, one resident's walls had been damaged by the offender. You could see him picking up the bricks to break the windows and burgle the business. Then, we were able to use Jack's work to link him to other burglaries. This allowed Jack to collect further CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and testimony to create a case against him, and he has gone to court and prison as a result.”

Police have a targeted campaign called Operation Defender to try and prevent burglary across the county.

Inspector Campbell-Smith said: "With Operation Defender, we deploy an officer, usually a PCSO to area around a reported burglary. They offer give them crime prevention advice and reassurance and warn other residents of what's taken place. When a burglary happens, statistics suggest that the area is now at high risk of being another victim and getting away with whatever they have taken; in their minds, it is an easy target.

“Operation Defender ensures that the residents and community know what's going on." 

In addition to working with the community to spread information and awareness of burglaries in the area, Lancashire Police also use their messaging service, Lancashire Talking, which can give specific advice on crime prevention to different streets.

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, said: "Burglary is an invasive, damaging crime that not only results in financial harm but can cause long-term trauma for anyone who sadly becomes a victim.

"Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home, and through Op Defender, Lancashire Constabulary are taking positive, proactive steps to target prolific offenders and support victims throughout any investigation, working to prevent people from committing these crimes in the first place.

"As Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner, I will continue to hold Lancashire Constabulary to account to ensure residential burglary reduces, victims, are supported, and all reasonable lines of enquiry are followed, sending the clear message that we will target burglars and put them behind bars."