BURGLARY GANGS ON RAMPAGE

Armed crooks target rich

ORGANISED crime mobs have sparked a huge spike in burglaries – with break-ins almost doubling in some areas.

The armed gangs, many from eastern Europe and South America, sleep up to 15 in a room in rented properties while plotting raids.

They plunder an area for weeks before moving on to their next target.

Gangsters steal cash, jewellery, laptops and expensive cars before shipping it abroad for sale just days later.

Wealthy counties full of country mansions have seen a huge surge in raids.

Surrey was the worst hit, with a 78% yearly increase to the end of September.

Hampshire saw a 74% hike while Wiltshire suffered a 69% rise.

A brutal thief dubbed The Night Watcher ® stole up to £7million from country estates across Surrey, Berkshire, Sussex and Kent.

One victim, Susan Morris, 61, believed she would be raped and murdered when he smashed her over the head with a shotgun.

Gangs swap details of empty luxury homes and stalk victims on social media.

Supt Sean Wilson, of Scotland Yard, says groups are far more sophisticated than in the past and warned victims against showing off their luxury lifestyles online.

The problem has become so bad that homeowners in Derby are taking it in turns to stay up and guard their houses at night.

West Mercia chief constable Amanda Blackman said: “It is a small proportion of people committing these offences.”

The Star Says: Page 6