Nine burglaries a day: thieves strike at 772 homes in 12 weeks (From Bournemouth Echo)

Nine burglaries a day: thieves strike at 772 homes in 12 weeks

9:09am Friday 6th July 2012 in News By Arron Hendy

A SPATE of more than 100 burglaries in two parts of Bournemouth has triggered a police operation.

The Eastcliff and Springbourne and the Charminster and Queens Park police areas have seen a 66 per cent rise with 116 homes hit in less than three months.

With more houses also being targeted in Southbourne the Daily Echo can reveal burglars have been striking nine time times a day across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch since April 1.

There have been up to seven burglaries in some roads since the spree began and after making arrests police believe there has been a number of different criminals involved.

A warning is also being given to residents after police discovered 41 of the 116 burglaries in the two worst-hit areas were at houses where people had left doors and windows open at night.

Sergeant Mark Jenkins, from the priority crime team, said: “We have seen an increase in burglaries as a result of properties being left insecure. Please don’t leave windows and doors open or unlocked at night or when you leave your property.”

On those occasions thieves fled with small electrical items, cash and jewellery. Dorset Police said they launched Operation Brocade after the ‘significant increase’ in North and East Bournemouth and on one occasion a man was caught climbing out of a window. The investigation has centred on the Springbourne and Charminster areas and more homes have been hit in Southbourne, too.

Acting Inspector Chris Amey, from Boscombe police, said police patrols were paying off. In just two weeks in June a total of 27 people were arrested in connection with dwelling burglary offences in the most-hit areas of Eastcliff, Springbourne, Charminster and Queens Park. And in some cases offenders have admitted being responsible for other burglaries.

Chief Inspector Chris Weeks said: “Due to the current rise in burglary additional officers are patrolling the area. These officers are briefed using current intelligence with special focus on locations and individuals connected to burglary.

“During June, 37 people were arrested from across Bournemouth and Poole and with numerous items of property being recovered.

“A number of these arrests were made by officers identifying people acting suspiciously. I urge the public to call us immediately if they seen anyone acting suspiciously or if they are offered any items they believe may be stolen.

Community information is the key to reducing this form of crime and locking up those responsible.

Operation Brocade

THE police started Operation Brocade on May 20 working mainly in Springbourne and Charminster and they later made 27 arrests.

They have also been looking at the problem in Southbourne with 24 burglaries reported since the start of June.

The 116 burglaries in Eastcliff, Springbourne, Charminster and Queens Park since April 1 represent a 66 per cent rise compared with April, May and June last year when a total of 70 burglaries were reported.

From April 1 to June 23 there were 772 burglaries across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, meaning there were more than nine each day on average.

But this does not represent a significant rise as a total as there were 770 in April, May and June last year.

Some of the worst hit streets in Bournemouth for burglaries since April 1 this year:

• Capstone Road, Charminster, 7;

• Lowther Road, Charminster, 6;

• Shelbourne Road, Charminster, 6;

• Windham Road, Springbourne, 6.