Police step up patrols after wave of break-ins

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THREE homes in Worcester were burgled in a series of nine break-ins which took place in south Worcestershire on Saturday (December 15).

Homes were broken into in Worcester, Pinvin, Pershore and Evesham during the afternoon and evening and they are being linked to seven previous burglaries in the Pershore area between November 5 and December 6.

The homes targeted in Worcester were on Hillcrest Rise between 3pm and 7pm when antique jewellery was stolen and Masefield Close between 5pm and 9.45pm when a pair of Nike trainers were taken.

The occupants of a house on St Anne's Road also returned home to find two people in their back garden attempting to break-in.

Detective Inspector Richard Rees of Worcester CID's Proactive Team, which investigates burglaries, said police patrols were being stepped up in the affected neighbourhoods to reassure residents.

"We have seen a serious escalation of the number of offences in this series and for peaceful areas like Worcester and Wychavon to experience so many in one day is very unusual.

"The offences started off around Pershore and the area of offending seems to be widening, along the A4538 from Evesham to north Worcester."

DI Rees said they were taking the sudden increase in break-ins very seriously as part of West Mercia Police's ongoing anti-burglary initiative, Citadel, and a team of detectives were working hard to solve them.

Anyone living near the burgled properties who saw anything suspicious on Saturday is urged to contact police on 101.

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