AN elderly Kingsley resident become a victim of a distraction burglary last Saturday. It comes at a time when the Central Hampshire Burglary Unit is urging home owners to be extra vigilant following a number of burglaries in Kingsley and the surrounding area. On Saturday, between 2 pm and 2-20 pm, the elderly woman, who lives in Main Road, Kingsley, was sitting in her kitchen, reading a book, when she spotted a youth looking through her window. She asked him what he wanted, and he said he had kicked his football into the garden and asked if she could retrieve it for him. When she returned to the kitchen she found her handbag stolen. The youth is described as white, aged between 16 and 17 years old with dark hair. He was said to be wearing dark trousers and a dark top. A home in Winchester Road, Four Marks was also broken into some time between 9 am and 10-30 am on the Saturday, while the home owners were out. Some cash was stolen from the property. In another incident, some time between 9 am and 6 pm on the same day, a home in Blackberry Lane, Four Marks was broken into and a number of items of jewellery were stolen. Police have stepped up patrols in the area of East Hampshire following a slight increase in the number of burglaries occurring and are asking home owners to be extra vigilant. Pc Jamie Richardson, of the Central Hampshire Burglary Unit said: "We do not want to alarm people. The burglary level in the area is extremely low, and is actually the lowest it's been for 30 years. "What we are seeing is a number of burglaries which could be avoided if people were to take some extra precautions to ensure their homes are secure, both when they are in and when they are out. "We are also asking that people keep an eye out for anything suspicious in their neighbourhoods and report anything that looks out of place to police immediately. The more information we receive the more likely we are to catch the burglars." Anyone with information on these burglaries in asked to contact Pc Jamie Richardson on 0845 045 45 45 or call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111. The following advice is being issued by the burglary unit: • Keep valuables out of view - if you have electrical equipment worth hundreds of pounds, don't keep it by the window where passers by can see it. • Never leave a key under a door mat or on a string through the letter box as it's the first place a burglar will look. • Make sure tools and ladders are kept in a secure place -because burglars will happily use your own garden equipment to break into your home. • If you have taken extra security precautions let the burglars know. For example, if you have an alarm, make sure the box can be clearly seen, and if you take part in a neighbourhood watch scheme, display a sticker in your window. If you have a dog, put up a warning sign. • Make sure you secure all doors and windows every time you leave the house, even if you're just "popping out". • If you are in the garden or upstairs, ensure the downstairs doors are locked. • Use time switches, which are available from most DIY stores, to switch on lights, radios and other appliances when you're away. • Hide financial documents and keys - if someone does break in you don't want them to also steal from your bank or take your car. • Get a friend to collect your post, draw curtains, park on your drive and make your home look lived in. • Cancel milk and papers.
