CRAVEN has suffered 41 house burglaries since April – and almost half occurred at unlocked premises.

Police say force was used in just 13 cases.

Twenty of the homes were insecure and, in other instances, offenders gained entry by using a key (in three cases by hooking it through a cat flap), removing the beading or glass or tampering with the lock.

Locations have been scattered across the district, stretching from Cross Hills to Austwick and from Burnsall to Carleton, with clusters around Glusburn, Ingleton and Skipton.

Stolen items have included cash, wallets, air rifles, televisions, laptops, mobile phones and jewellery. And, in some case, thieves have fled in the victims' cars.

Insp Geoff Crocker said opportunist thieves will travel around looking for vulnerable properties.

He added: "They are looking for signs people are not home, for visible goods within reach of insecure entrances and un-alarmed properties.

"Of the properties burgled where people were not home, none had alarms fitted. It is only where offenders have sneaked into the property through an insecure door and where persons were present in the house that alarms were fitted, but even then the number was negligible. Burglars still do not like alarms as there are plenty of easy pickings without the risk of setting an alarm off."

Insp Crocker said while the district had seen an increase in house burglaries since April, there had been a significant drop in the early part of August.

He added: "We remain one of the safest districts in the safest county in England and Wales, but we cannot be complacent about crime. We are bordered by some high crime areas, and criminals are willing to travel to what they may consider rich and easy pickings.

"We are investing in, and already using, technology and tactics that combat travelling criminals and working practices that ensure our officers spend more time out of the stations targeting those who would commit crime, but we need the public’s help. Fighting crime has always been a partnership between the public and the police and we both need to work together to be successful."

Visit northyorkshire.police.uk/homesecurity for information about home security.

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