Your houses are a ‘burglar’s dream,’ cops warn

Student homes are ideal targets for burglary, say police after a recent spate of thefts. 

Robbers broke into Cotham houses and crept in as residents lay sleeping.

Dentistry students Dave, Amy and Jess were victims of one of five night raids near Kingsley Road in the last few weeks.

Amy, Jess and Dave

Burglars forced their way into the garage, stealing one of their bikes.

Fifth-year Jess said: “None of us heard them, we had no clue until the morning.

“It is unnerving, as you just don’t expect it to happen to you. It has made us change our attitude towards safety.

“We now have a chain for the back door, and we make sure that everything, particularly windows, are locked.”

The garage was forcefully broken into

All three said they would advise everyone to be “really vigilant” with safety and to not leave valuables out for burglars to steal.

They also advised that students keep locks on their individual rooms at all times, so that even if a burglar manages to enter your house, they can’t get into your room.

Other recommendations included leaving a light on when the whole house is out, and purchasing home insurance to protect important valuables.

Nick Boyce looking fly on the job

Police liaison officer Nick Boyce has been warning students how to prevent their homes from being broken into.

“It’s a pretty miserable message to give out but the fact is, the average student house is a burglar’s dream.

“Not only does a shared house potentially mean several phones, laptops and bikes, but they are often just not secure: one in five burglars walks straight in through an open or unsecured door or window.”

Cops are urging students to register their valuables online and to contact them if they have any safety concerns.

These burglaries come after similar crimes on Hampton Road earlier this summer, when laptops, TVs and even a car were stolen.