Officers in Blaenau Gwent have arrested 13 people as part of an operation to tackle house burglaries.
Out of the 13 arrested, seven have been charged with dwelling burglary offences, whilst six remain on police bail, pending further inquiries.
In October, officers reminded the public to secure their doors and windows, following an increase in the number of burglaries. The majority of the homes that were targeted had insecure doors and windows. In November, the number of homes that were targeted fell by 48% compared to the previous month.
An operation is underway to investigate and prevent burglaries in the area. In the run up to the festive period, officers are encouraging the public to remain extra vigilant with their security:
- Remember to close and secure all doors and windows at night and when you go out.
- Keep your front and back doors locked, even when you are at home during the day.
- If you have locked your door, take the keys out of the lock and put them somewhere safe and out of reach from doors and windows.
- Avoid tempting thieves by leaving presents on display under your Christmas tree.
- Keep your car keys safe and out of sight.
- Close all of your curtains when you have the light on at night.
- Make friends or neighbours aware if you are going away – ask them to keep an eye on your property.
Detective Inspector Kerry Hagerty, said:
“We have made a number of arrests over the last few weeks as part of our operation to address dwelling burglaries in Blaenau Gwent. However, despite the number of burglaries in the area dropping recently, it’s vital that the public remains vigilant, particularly over the Christmas period.
Offenders have told us that they have targeted homes that have had unlocked doors and windows, so I would encourage the public to follow these simple steps to help prevent them from becoming a victim. We are continuing with our operation to target offenders and I would like to appeal to anyone with any information relating to the burglaries to come forward. If residents see anything suspicious, then please get in contact with us. You can either phone Gwent Police on 101, or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
