Crime prevention tools see more burglars left empty-handed

A rise in the use of crime prevention tools has seen an increase in the number of attempted burglaries reported across Northamptonshire with more criminals leaving empty-handed.

In recent years, the Force has repeatedly encouraged people to protect their homes from burglars in the best way they can as historically, 1 in 4 burglaries are caused by insecurities including unlocked in windows and doors.

More recently, detectives from the Force’s Burglary Team have encouraged homeowners to invest in CCTV and doorbell cameras as they are not only a method to catch criminals but also a means to deter them.

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Pendlebury, said: “More and more people in this county are investing in technology that is keeping their homes safer than ever before and I really welcome this.

“In the past twelve months, attempted burglaries in Northamptonshire have risen by 11% while the number of successful burglaries has declined, meaning more and more burglars are leaving disappointed – this is exactly what we want.

“The thing about burglars is that they do not like to work hard – they look for easy targets. An unlocked door or window are perfect pickings for them so to see more people across the county thinking about crime prevention is really positive.

“Things like CCTV and doorbell cameras really are great ways to deter criminals so I would encourage more people to invest in this sort of technology. We want to make it as hard as possible for burglars in this county to be successful in stealing from hardworking people.

“The decrease in successful burglaries and an increase in attempted ones is a testament to the hard work of our Burglary Team who focus not only on catching offenders but also on preventing burglaries before they even happen.”