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AYCLIFFETODAY
Burglary crime is on the rise in Newton Aycliffe but can be
prevented if you remember to lock your cars, windows and
front doors.
WE CAN DO
MORE TO STOP
BURGLARIES
By Zoe Skerrett
Since July there have been a spike in
reported burglaries, many of which are
“2-in-1” crimes where the thief enters
a home, takes the car keys and then
steals your car.
This was seen in Merlin Court when
thieves entered the unlocked house,
took the car keys and stole the Toyota
Yaris, which later crashed into parked
cars in the King’s Drive area.
As a result of this, police visited
homes on Merlin Court to enquire
about numerous burglary reports on
the street to find a house with the keys
hanging in the lock on the outside of
the house.
Aycliffe’s Neighbourhood Police
Team Sergeant Mark Edwards urges
residents to ensure their homes and
cars are locked at all times in order to
prevent crimes that could be avoided.
“In an ideal world we would all like
to be able to leave our front doors
and cars unlocked but unfortunately
we don’t live in an ideal world,” Sgt
Edwards told Aycliffe Today.
“It’s alright to say that we should be
able to nip into the shop and leave our
cars open, but that’s not the kind of
world we operate in.”
This type of crime can be prevented
if people begin to gain a basic concept
of security.
With 75% of house burglaries that
could have been avoided in recent
months, the police are trying to push
the security message out to people on
social media, via the press and with
leaflet drops to remind them that it is
not safe to leave your windows and
doors unlocked anymore.