Ransacked: Three student flats burgled in West End

Innocent students have been the victims of a string of pitiless robberies in the West End.

At least three different student flats have been targeted by shameless thieves, although it’s unsure if the same vile group is carrying out the attacks.

The flats all share the defining feature of only being fitted with yale locks.

Second year Archie found his flat had been robbed after returning from rugby tour in Newcastle:

“Being robbed is crap.

“I am currently writing this on my phone in the absence of an alternative – or at least one closer than the library which feels miles away.

“Over the weekend my flat mate and I were both on rugby tour in Newcastle and when we returned our flat had clearly been broken into.

“The rooms were all a mess and it didn’t take long to realise that anything of value had been taken.

This break in comes at the back of a number of other robberies in the West End, all in rented accomadation.

Lewis, also second year, had his flat broken into in the last few weeks:

“I got back to my flat around 5.30 from Uni. I noticed it was mucked up a little but I thought I just hadn’t tidied.

“Then I noticed my laptop was gone.

“The worst thing stolen I think was the watch my sister gave me for my 18th.”

Lewis called the police immediately when he realised what had happened:

“The police were great, they came within five minutes of me making the call and talked me through the whole procedure.

“They talked through how yale locks aren’t safe enough on their own.

“A forensic scientist came the next day and dusted down the TV and the door looking for prints.”

forensics found a suspects fingerprints on the TV

If rented flats are all supplied solely with yale locks on their front doors it’s a question of whether landlords and letting agencies are doing enough to protect their tenants.

As it stands, it doesn’t look like much is being done to protect students from robberies of this kind.