Tackling neighbours from hell

into in Bothwell Road, Hamilton, at 7.55pm on November 14, and further to that we are investigating a theft by housebreaking at Brora Crescent, Fairhill, Hamilton. The suspects forced the rear patio doors and have stolen a quantity of jewellery.

About 12pm on November 15, a householder in Station Road, Blantrye, observed a noise and saw a male standing in the hallway. The male then ran off. He was described as being aged between 30 and 40, about 5ft 10ins and wearing a dark jacket and dark baseball cap.

Also, just before 1am on November 20 a male was observed in the garden of a house at Aberfeldy Avenue, Blantyre. He was about 5ft 8ins and was wearing a black top and jogging bottoms.

In March this year Police Scotland, along with national banks and other partner agencies, introduced the banking protocol. The protocol asks bank staff to recognise when a customer is requesting a cash withdrawal or bank transfer which appears to be out of character and it provides staff the confidence to ask questions to gauge if the customer is making the withdrawal or transfer as a result of fraud.

On November 20, a staff member from a Hamilton bank contacted police after being concerned about an elderly customer being in to withdraw a considerable sum of money. Police were contacted and it was confirmed that the customer was being coerced and the money wasn’t paid. This intervention has saved the customer from losing money which he may never have got back.