South Leamington people urged to be vigilant after six burglaries in one weekend

Six burglaries took place in Sydenham, Whitnash and Old Town between last Friday and Monday - with three in one night.

Bank cards and mobile phones were stolen in the three burglaries in St Mary’s Road and St Ann’s Close, Whitnash and Clapham Terrace in Old Town while in break-ins over the weekend thieves stole computers, jewellery and electrical items.

Lizzie Clarke, chairman of south Leamington Neighbourhood Watch, urged householders to invest in deterrents such as burglar alarms and Smartwater, available at reduced rates at her office in Sainsbury’s in Leamington.

She also urged people to join neighbourhood watch schemes.

She said: “We need to come together as a community again and start looking after ourselves.

“With all the cutbacks the police are stretched and there is a limited amount they can do.”

In the first break-in in St Mary’s Road, criminals stole two mobile phones, money and two credit cards.

Police believe they may have got in by putting something through the cat flap enabling them to reach keys inside.

An attempt was made to use one of the credit cards at a cash dispenser in the early hours of Monday morning, but this was not successful.

In the second burglary in St Ann’s Close, thieves gained entry to the property during the night and again stole cash and credit cards. An attempt was made to use one of the cards at a different cash machine.

And in Clapham Terrace a burglar gained entry to the property at around 5.15am, but was disturbed by the occupant who gave chase but lost sight of the offender in a nearby alleyway.

Police are examining similarities in the three burglaries to see if they are linked.

Burglars stole a laptop computer and television from a house in Foxdale Walk on the evening of October 7.

In a break-in reported in October 8, thieves forced their way into the back of a home in Mayfield Close and stole a Playstation games console, jewellery and a laptop computer.

Thieves stole an electric saw from a garage and a vacuum cleaner from a kitchen Mayfield Close on the night of Sunday October 9 to 10.

Anyone with any information should contact the local investigation team at Leamington police station on 451111 or can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.