Burglar uses loo request to trick way into houses

POLICE are warning students in Nottingham to be vigilant of a man knocking on their door to use the toilet before conducting a distraction burglary.

Nottinghamshire Police says it received two reports of a man targeting student properties in this way across the Dunkirk area on Sunday.

The incidents happened within 20 minutes of each other at student properties in Lace Street, with the first incident taking place at 3.30pm and the second at 3.50pm.

Police say the man asked to use the toilet and, after being let in, searched rooms before stealing items.

Detective Inspector Kayne Rukas, from Nottinghamshire Police’s city burglary team, is urging people to be wary following the reports.

He said: “The man has asked to use the toilet. After being let in, he has conducted a search in rooms and it was subsequently found that items had been stolen.

“Officers are keen to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious.

“If you have any information please call 101, quoting incident number 380 of November 8, 2020. If any similar incidents occur and the suspect is still nearby then please call 999 immediately.”

DI Rukas also provided some safety advice and warnings to students, saying there has been a recent rise in burglaries across student communities in the city.

He added: “With the clocks changing and the evenings being longer and darker, we often see an increase in house burglaries.

“We have seen a recent increase in burglaries in the Lenton, Arboretum and Radford areas where suspects have entered via insecure doors and windows.

“The reports have mainly come from university student addresses and we’ve had numerous reports of offenders walking into properties via unlocked doors.”