POLICE have arrested 28 suspected burglars in Worcestershire since the new year after a swift response to a big spike in break-ins.
Since January 1 this year West Mercia Police has made 28 arrests across South Worcestershire which includes Worcester, Malvern, Pershore, Evesham and Droitwich.
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A senior detective based at Worcester Police Station says support from the public and prompt reporting of burglaries in progress by vigilant residents has been instrumental in city officers making arrests.
In January, this year there have been 129 burglaries of all kinds across south Worcestershire (including 90 domestic burglaries). The overall figure includes commercial burglaries - raids on shops and businesses - and on homes.
The domestic burglaries figure includes break-ins not confined to the house itself but criminal activity within the boundaries of the entire property which could include, for example, sheds, gardens, yards and outbuildings.
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Some of the burglaries have involved the theft of shotguns and air rifles, stolen in attacks on remote and isolated rural locations on the Worcestershire and Herefordshire border.
A burglary at Argos in Blackpole in Worcester on Sunday, January 8 saw officers make a series of arrests and recover stolen laptops.
The overall burglary figure rose from January 2022 when there were 89 burglaries (of which 73 were domestic burglaries). There were 154 burglaries in January 2020 (112 of which were domestic burglaries) and 115 in January 2021 (of which 81 were domestic burglaries).
DI Dave Knight of South Worcestershire Proactive CID said previous dips in the rate of burglary reflected the number of arrests made of burglars and his hope is that arrests recently will similarly reduce offending.
He added: "It's a significant number of arrests which is reflective of the focus we put on burglaries but also the relationship with have with the public where they will contact us if they see anything suspicious taking place.
"A lot of these arrests have been the result of people reporting suspicious activity. Keep contacting us. We will respond quickly."
DI Knight's advice remains to call 999 if a burglary is in progress which allows officers to be deployed to the scene more quickly.
He says this is more likely to result in arrests and the conservation of vital evidence to assist in building a case and, ultimately, will help secure convictions and jail time for offenders.
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