Police issue warning over burglars prowling streets of Sheffield as weather improves

South Yorkshire Police said today: “Don’t provide burglars with an open door invitation.

“We are all looking forward to some better weather, and have had a glimpse of it this week.

“Unfortunately when the weather gets warmer, we see an increase in opportunistic thieves looking for their next target.

“As we are all set for some sunshine over the next few weeks, we want to remind you of some tips to keep your home secure and prevent you being targeted by thieves.”

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Detective Chief Inspector Jim Bateman said: “Unfortunately better weather means more thieves out and about looking for an opportunity to break into your home.

"We want everybody to be able to enjoy the sunshine and have fun, but we still need to be vigilant. Please think about your home security if you are out, or even if you are just in the garden.

“It sounds simple, but when it's warm outside it is tempting to leave windows and doors open when you are in the garden and go out.

“Please do not do this, it only takes a few seconds for an opportunistic thief to see the window or door open and get into your property.”

Top tips issued by the police:

Close windows - When you leave the house or even if you are in the garden. If you have locks make sure they are on, especially on downstairs windows.

*Lock doors – Remember if you are in the garden or upstairs, do not leave your front door unlocked. Thieves can be in and out of your house in minutes.

*Secure your shed – If you have a shed or outhouse make sure it is locked at night. Use a coach bolt to secure hinges.

*Lock tools away – Remember to lock tools away, these can be stolen or used to force entry into your house.

*Don’t leave ladders lying round – Thieves can use these to access upstairs windows.

*Going on holiday? Never advertise that your home is going to be empty on social media.

DCI Jim Bateman added: “We know how devastating it is to be a victim of a burglary and it is a force priority to try and tackle this.

"We are working on identifying hotspot areas and trends based on patterns we see from offenders. We can then use this information to deploy officers on regular patrols and provide prevention advice and support to local residents.”

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