Police Officers across East Cheshire are posing as burglars in an attempt to persuade people to lock their doors.
Officers in plain clothes are carrying out patrols trying the door handles of houses and flats in the hours between 4pm and 2am. Wherever they find one unlocked, they knock until someone answers, even if it means getting someone out of bed.
Then they give the message, "If we had been burglars, by now you would have lost cash, valuables such as a laptop or an ipod, sentimental items such as jewellery and possibly the car off your drive!"
The Police Operation is a response to the fact that nearly forty per cent of all burglaries in East Cheshire are carried out through unlocked doors or downstairs windows which have been left open.
Chief Inspector Peter Crowcroft, in charge of Neighbourhood Policing in Cheshire Police Eastern Area, said, "There are burglars who specialise in sneak-ins. They walk around streets, nipping in and out of gardens and trying doors until they find one unlocked."
'Most of them don’t care if anyone is in the house. Even if the family is in the next room watching television or eating, the criminal will walk into the kitchen or hallway, grab a bag, purse, or some other item of value and be out again in seconds."
"These burglaries can be avoided by locking the door. It is the simplest bit of crime prevention you can imagine and it’s surprising that so many people make their homes vulnerable by simply failing to turn a key."
The "benign burglar" operation was trialled in the Congleton NPU area before Christmas. At that time it was confined to the hours between 10pm and 2am and only one pair of officers was checking doors. Even so, they found upwards of five unlocked doors each night and the trial was well received by the public.
As well as posing as burglars, Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers are distributing thousands of door hanger cards which list security checks to be carried out before anyone leaves home, even for a short time. The cards are designed to be left on the door handle or lock as a permanent reminder about home security.
They are also offering an opportunity for people to claim prizes for taking part in the crime prevention campaign, code named Operation Golden.
Some of the crime prevention door hangers handed out include a Golden Ticket which will open the door to prizes. Police are looking for local sponsors to support this initiative.
"The person who receives one of the Golden Tickets will be able to claim vouchers towards the cost of things like ipods, books or a meal for two at a local restaurant," said Chief Inspector Peter Crowcroft.
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