UPDATED: Police are reminding people of vital crime prevention advice to keep their homes and vehicles secure following 4 recent burglaries on the Isle of Wight.
On Sunday 29th October an electric bike worth £2,500 was stolen from a home on Embankment Road in Bembridge. The bike was later recovered at another address in the town.
On Friday 10th November someone stole items including a mobile phone and clothing from a home on Manor Road in Lake in the early hours of the morning. The front door to the property may have been insecure.
In the early hours of Tuesday 14th November a mobile phone was stolen from a property on Downsview Road in Sandown. An unknown person was also disturbed at a home on Millennium Way in Lake. Nothing was taken. Both properties may have had insecure front doors.
Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team have been carrying out regular patrols in the area.
A 16-year-old boy from Sandown was arrested this morning (Monday 20th November) on suspicion of 5 offences of burglary and 1 of theft of a pedal cycle in relation with all of these reports and remains in custody at this time.
Hampshire Constabulary say they have also received reports of people trying door handles of cars in these areas in an attempt to break into vehicles.
Anyone who may have private CCTV footage of this or who has seen anything suspicious should call 101 quoting 44170421573.
UPDATE TUESDAY – Hampshire Constabulary have confirmed that the 16-year-old teenager – who can’t be named for legal reasons – has been charged with 3 counts of burglary and 1 of theft of a pedal cycle.
The teen has been remanded in custody to appear before Portsmouth Magistrates Court later today.
Home security
• Shut all windows and lock them when you are not using the room, at night and when you leave your property
• Lock all front and rear doors at night and when you are out. If you have a UPVC door with a multi-point lock ensure you lift the handle and lock it with the key.
• Put all car keys and other keys out of sight and not in reach of windows and letterboxes. It doesn’t take much for the keys to be hooked through the letterbox.
• Leave a light on so your home looks occupied if you are going out for the evening. If you head out while it is still daylight and won’t be back till after dark then a timer switches (available from most DIY stores) can be useful in turning your lights, radios and other appliances on at a set time before you get back.
• Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property.
• Do not leave ladders and garden tools in your garden; lock them away in your shed.
• Have an intruder alarm system installed by an approved contractor. Ensure a visible alarm box is attached to the outside of your home. Also consider fitting security lighting.
• Use door chains and spy holes to give you extra security if someone knocks on your door. Never be afraid to turn people away. If you have concerns about anyone who has come to your door call the police.
• Record the details of your property such as serial numbers for electronic goods on the Immobilise website (https://www.immobilise.com/)
Thefts from vehicles
• Don’t leave anything in your car – if it’s not there, then it can’t be stolen.
• Choose a stereo that can be removed and make sure you take it with you! You should also mark it with your registration number or postcode, in case it’s stolen.
• Thieves aren’t picky, so don’t leave even low-value items in your car. Often thieves will smash and grab first and look later to see if what they’ve stolen is valuable.
• Don’t hide it – if you hide items under the seat or in the glove box, chances are someone will have watched you. If you cannot avoid leaving something in your car, put it in your boot before you begin your journey.
• Don’t leave valuables in your car even for a minute – it only takes a thief a few seconds to smash a window and get what they want, so don’t take the chance.
• Your car isn’t safe to be left unlocked on your driveway – nearly half of all incidents where items are stolen from cars happen when they are parked overnight, close to the owner’s home.
• Don’t leave your house keys or anything with your address on it in your vehicle – someone could steal your keys and then let themselves into your home
