Police take action as robbers target Sefton students

Liverpool cops have stepped up patrols in the student area surrounding Sefton Park after a spate of burglaries.

Residents were told to be vigilant after a series of break-ins around the park in the past week.

A resident of Ullet Road told The Liverpool Echo that many of the burglaries seemed to follow the same formula – the robber kicking in the back door and stealing valuable technology and jewellery.

Although the Greenbank area has been targeted, robbers probably won’t be going near this Fresher’s stuff

Even though some statistics name Liverpool as one of the safest cities in the country, every student will know that there are still large pockets of crime.

Posher areas like Mossley Hill – home to UoL’s Carnatic and Greenbank Halls – and Allerton comfortably made it into the top ten most burgled places in the UK.

The L18 postcode, which encompasses the Sefton Park area and parts of student ghetto Smithdown Road, has a staggering 33.3 victims of burglary per thousand people.

Although an 18-year old has been arrested in connection with the Ullet Road robbery, police have been giving security advice to residents – Neighbourhood Inspector Stuart Quirk said: “I urge residents to take safety measures to keep themselves, their homes and cars safe, as this could prevent you from becoming a victim of crime”.

Not as idyllic as The Beatles made out

He added that there was a 34% reduction in Burglaries in his area in 2013, although this may not be of much comfort during the current spate of break-ins.

Thieves unsurprisingly target wealthy areas and places where the rewards for their crimes are bound to be greater. With student houses containing far more laptops, phones and tablets than the average house, as well as typically being less secure, they’re a prime target for criminals.

Has your student house been robbed, either in this current round of burglaries or recently? Let us know in the comments.