Burglary warning after Lancaster break-ins

There has been a spate of burglaries in Lancaster.

Since Friday May 20, there have been five burglaries on Golgotha Road, Harcourt Road, West Road, Gladstone Terrace and Westham Street, after thieves broke into houses through open doors and windows.

Items stolen have totalled hundreds of pounds and include laptops, Macbooks, a PS4 games console, a designer watch, sunglasses, televisions, an iPad and cash.

DS Simon Balderstone from Lancaster CID said: “Opportunist thieves look out for an easy way in to steal whatever valuables they can find and so we usually see an increase in these types of incidents as the weather warms up with people leaving their windows and doors open.

“This is an open invite to a burglar and so I would say do not make it easy for them to get in and take your possessions, make sure that your windows and doors remain locked and secure.

“To avoid becoming a victim of this type of crime, please follow our advice and if you know anything about the burglaries mentioned, please contact us on 101.”

Residents are being asked to:

· Keep front and back doors locked and windows closed at all times.

· If windows are open keep them on the latch so that they cannot be opened further from outside.

· Fit a door chain and use it whenever you answer the door to an unexpected caller.

· Keep side gates locked.

· Use a strong lock on sheds, garages and other outbuildings.

· Consider fitting outdoor security lighting.

· Keep an eye on neighbouring properties and if you see anything suspicious contact police.