POLICE WARN OVER RISE IN NEWPORT BURGLARIES

Police in Newport want people to make sure their homes are secure at all times after a rise in burglaries since the turn of the New Year. Dwelling house burglaries have dropped by 28 per cent over the last three years, but police want to quickly crush the recent increase. Since the beginning of January, 37 burglaries have been reported in Newport, 13 of which were through insecurities to homes. Statistics show that one in three burglaries in the city occur as a result of doors or windows being left open. People of all ages have fallen victim to opportunist burglars who have literally walked into their homes without needing to break in.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Webber said: "We have managed to reduce dwelling burglaries in the past three years through engaging with communities, effective neighbourhood policing and the targeting of known offenders. But we are urging people to ensure they lock the windows and doors of their premises, particularly when retiring for bed."