Bracknell

Police in Bracknell are clamping down on burglary after a series of domestic burglaries in the area, mainly in Binfield, Warfield, Winkfield & Cranbourne.

Three people have been charged with burglaries in the last two weeks: a 16-year-old in relation to a burglary in Harmanswater, a 17-year-old for a burglary in Wildridings, and a 23-year-old man for a burglary in Easthampstead.

Many of the burglaries in Bracknall are carried out by criminals travelling in from Surrey and Reading. An operation carried out in July to tackle burglars travelling from Reading resulted in over 37 arrests and a number of charges for burglary and conspiracy to burgle. Several suspects are currently on bail pending forensic results, and police are working to trace several people who have been identified from forensic evidence.

Two people were arrested at the scene of a burglary in Binfield last week thanks to targeted patrols put in place following intelligence. They are currently on police bail pending forensic analysis.

Although the number of domestic burglaries in Bracknell is decreasing, police are asking the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious incidents.

Officers and PCSOs are carrying out crime reduction work across North Bracknell, including giving out crime prevention information packs to householders and offering free security surveys, which advise people how to improve their home security.

Acting Chief Inspector Simon Bowden, LPA Commander at Bracknell, said: “My teams will do everything they can to fully investigate offences of burglary and bring the offenders to justice. Residents can help us by taking precautions to prevent themselves becoming a victim, the extra effort is worth it compared to the turmoil caused by the offence itself.”

'If you are visited by a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) and offered a crime prevention survey, please accept it - it is free and may prevent you from being the next victim. I want people to be aware of crime, not fear it.”

• Offenders gain access to homes through insecure windows or doors, or by breaking in. The crime reduction team advises people to ensure all doors are locked and remove the keys. Keep all downstairs windows shut and locked, and only keep windows open upstairs if there is no easy access to them via garage roofs and flat roofs.

• The best place to keep car keys and valuables such as purses and laptops when you are asleep at night is in the bedroom with you, or at least upstairs.

• Cars should always be locked when you park them and kept in a garage if possible. All valuables, such as sat nav systems, should be removed and nothing left on show to attract thieves. Leaving your car unlocked will almost certainly invalidate your insurance.

• Installing a burglar alarm will help deter burglars. Alarms should be set downstairs overnight and when the house is unoccupied.

• Resurfacing your driveway with gravel will also be a deterrent as it makes a noise when walked on.

• Make sure all outbuildings such as sheds and garages are locked and that garden tools are locked up, as these can be used to force entry to your house.

• Fit a burglar alarm that is visible but which cannot be reached by burglars.

• Keep valuables out of sight and mark them with your postcode in a UV pen for identification.

• Don’t leave house or car keys near to the front door, where they can be hooked out by burglars through the letterbox. Double-locking UPVC doors wil prevent letter-box burglaries.

• Consider installing a collapsible bollard, available from security shops.
Then you can park the car with its front close to the garage or house and its rear close to the bollard. It will be impossible for thieves to move the car without smashing down the bollard, which will make a lot of noise and take a lot of effort.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell