Cops target hotspots in crackdown on burglars

POLICE i n Dundee are launching an operation to tackle housebreaking in hotspots around the city.

A team of 20 Police Scotland Youth Volunteers, as well as community wardens and local PCs, will be targeting the Hilltown, Maryfield, Victoria Road and Craigie with advice leaflets next week before moving onto other areas of the city.

Analysts from Police Scotland have looked back at crimes committed over the last five years and found those four areas to be slightly worse than others in the city.

But Sergeant Ryan MacDonald, north region coordinator for the Police Scotland Youth Volunteers, said anyone could be targeted by opportunist thieves, especially at this time of year.

He said: “This is called Operation After Dark and on Tuesday we will be launching in Dundee, followed by Perth on Wednesday and Arbroath on Thursday.

“The analysts look at our own statistics for crimes recorded in the last five years to find hotspots.

“We will start in the Hilltown, then onto Maryfield, Victoria Road and Craigie. We will be doing a blanket drop of leaflets at properties where people aren’t in and engaging with others, passing on advice on how to protect their items.”

Sgt MacDonald said thieves often focused on quick and easy objects to steal.

He said: “Generally they will look for things such as j ewellery, mobile phones and iPads that they can sell on fairly quickly. You’ll rarely see things such as TVs getting stolen now.”

And Sgt MacDonald said there were a range of ways for folk to keep their properties secure.

He said: “It’s about trying to prevent crime more than anything and to do that we need to educate.

“Leaving keys in the door, or under doormats or flowerpots, are just some of the classic things that people do which opportunist thieves look for.

“It is simply because it is darker for longer at this time of year that more thefts take place, so leaving lights on to make it seem like you’re home or leaving a timer on the lights helps.

“But also writing down serial numbers of expensive goods, marking your postcode on them with UV pens and taking photos of them really helps the police identify them if your items are stolen.”