Advice issued to residents following spate of burglaries in and around Swindon area

In recent weeks, nine burglaries have been reported in various locations including Biddestone Avenue in Coate Water, Weirside in Wroughton, Cricklade and Blunsdon, and extensive enquiries by our Burglary Unit show the incidents are believed to be linked.

 

Det Sgt James Rodrigues, of our Burglary Unit, said: “The offenders are targeting houses often on the periphery of Swindon with easy access to the A419 or the M4, between the hours of 6pm and 8pm.

 

“They are targeting houses that look visibly unoccupied, so we are urging residents to be mindful of this when leaving their homes, even if it’s just to pop out briefly – leave lights on inside and if you can, ensure a car is parked in your driveway – I know this isn’t possible for everybody but consider speaking to neighbours who have multiple cars and asking them to use your driveway if you are going away. It’s worth considering doorbell cameras or CCTV for your property as well.

 

“Of course, we’d always encourage residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious vehicles or people in their area so we can take action quickly. Always ring 999 if you believe a burglary is in progress and give as much detail in relation to vehicles and offender descriptions as possible.”

 

Det Insp Sarah Champion said: “Incidents of this nature are extremely distressing for the victims. Everyone should feel safe within their homes and these individuals are showing total disregard for the impact that breaking into another person’s home can have.

 

“Please be reassured that my team are conducting extensive enquiries to identify those responsible and are working closely with neighbouring forces to ensure they are caught and dealt with robustly.”