SUSPECTED burglars had a rude awakening on Monday when police carried out a raid as part of Operation Castle.

Uniformed officers forced their way into a Boscombe flat where two men and a woman were arrested and taken into custody for questioning.

Officers surprised suspects in the Walpole Road property at 8am and the site was the subject of a thorough search.

See more pictures from the raid here

Operation Castle is an ongoing campaign that was given particular focus during December and January.

A total of 138 arrests were made when officers used a range of tactics in a bid to reduce break-ins to homes in Dorset.

Detective Inspector Andy Dilworth of the Bournemouth and Poole Priority Crime Team told the Daily Echo: “The operation involved a warrant, which was part of Operation Castle.

“We had information that led us to believe that persons connected with burglary lived at this address.”

A 22-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of burglary and a 33-year-old man, wanted in connection with other offences, was also arrested.

DI Dilworth said latest figures have revealed a 6.6 per cent fall in burglaries in the county in the last year.

He added: “During Operation Castle we continued to focus on targeting suspected offenders and work in partnership with other agencies.

“We also stepped up patrols in vulnerable areas and worked with neighbours and community groups to spread the crime prevention message to residents.”

He said there is still more work to do and added: “My final message to the public is do not be complacent. If you see someone acting suspiciously in your area please call us on 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress so we can send officers and investigate.”

There were a total of 115 burglaries in December and 158 in January.