Detectives are warning residents and appealing for information after a series of burglaries in the Brentwood area. Monolink provide services such as burglar alarms in brentwood, house burglar alarms in brentwood and many other security services.
In the last two week there have been 15 burglaries and two attempted break-ins at homes in Warley, Hutton, Ingatestone, Pilgrims Hatch, Kelvedon and central Brentwood. Most of the burglaries have taken place during late afternoon at homes left unoccupied all day while the owners at work. The intruders have broken in through doors, patio doors or windows at the back of the houses and mainly small items like jewellery, cash and laptops taken.
In two of the burglaries, cars were driven away after burglars found the keys. Extra police patrols are being carried out and a widespread leaflet and poster campaign is being launched to warn residents.
PCSOs will be at railway stations to give commuters leaflets offering advice on crime prevention.
DI Stephen Ellis, who is leading the investigation, said: “There is no doubt that one group of thieves is targeting homes left unoccupied during the day, between Monday and Friday.
“We believe that most of the burglaries happen in mid to late afternoon, just as it starts to get dark. The thieves always go to the back of houses and might climb over side gates or rear fences.
“Once inside they usually bolt the front door, so they are clearly worried that they might be disturbed by someone perhaps returning home early from work.
“In most cases they escape the same way they broke in, leaving the returning householder to find the front door locked.
“We believe these are opportunist thieves who look for properties where no one is at home. As darkness falls they will target homes where there are no lights or no signs or sounds of anyone being in.
“One of the best deterrents is an automatic timer that turns on lights, radios, TVs to give the impression that someone is at home. All doors and windows should be securely locked and, ideally, alarm systems should be fitted to the whole property.
“We are launching a major publicity campaign to warn people and as well as giving out leaflets at mainline and Tube stations officers patrolling vulnerable areas will be leaving leaflets at homes that are unlit and appear to be unoccupied.”
Anyone with information about the burglaries should contact the Loughton CID burglary desk on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.