Pet Owners Asked to Beware After a Spate of Burglaries

Police are warning pet owners with dog or cat flaps to be on their guard after four break-ins at homes in the Western area of Hertfordshire over the past two weeks.

The most recent was overnight between 11pm on April 30th and 4.30am on May 1st, on Coates Way in Watford. One or more offenders used an open gate to get to the back door and reached up through a large cat flap in the door to get keys left in the lock the other side. Once in the house, they took some cash, a laptop computer, a Nintendo WII and two controllers, a digital camera, bank cards, two mobile phones and two bank savings books. A resident was in the house at the time of the offence.

Other similar offences were:
• A burglary through a dog flap in Holland Gardens, Watford, on April 29th. It took place between midnight and 6.45am. Two laptops and a mobile were stolen.
• A burglary through a cat flap in Garston Crescent, Watford, on April 20th. It took place between 1pm and 5pm. Cash, bank cards and a driving licence were amongst items stolen.
• An attempted burglary through a cat flap in South Park Gardens, Berkhamsted, on April 7th at about 3am. They did not managed to break in and steal anything.

Police are issuing the following advice for residents with cat or dog flaps:
• Leave any keys well away from doors and windows, put them out of sight
• Always lock doors and windows even if you go out for a short time or if you spend time upstairs
• Make sure you have a strong garden gate and lock it
• Keep garden fences in good repair and consider having trellising on the top
• Install security lights outside
• Make sure that expensive items eg stereos, CD players, home computers, plasma TVs are not easily visible from the road, attracting unwanted attention
• Keep special property such as sentimental or expensive jewellery well out of the way by keeping it in a well-hidden place ideally under lock and key
• Try not to keep important or very valuable property at home. Items such as house deeds should be placed with a bank. Remember, burglars will look through drawers and under mattresses
• Keep cash or credit cards with you or in a safe place at home

Anyone with any information on these crimes should ring 0845 33 00 222. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. You do not have to give your name and you could be entitled to a cash reward.

If you think you have been a victim of this crime ring 0845 33 00 222.