A Barrow woman who recently became a victim of burglary has joined police in issuing a warning to her neighbours to keep their homes secure.
19 year old Amber Marshall of Anson Street, Barrow woke up to find that burglars had stolen handbags, purses and a camera belonging to her and her mum while her and her newborn daughter were asleep overnight between 7 June and 8 June. The most distressing aspect of the crime for Amber was that the offender(s) made off with a camera that contained photographs of her daughter and a handbag that contained a sentimental ultrasound picture.
The offender(s) got into her home through the front door which had been left unlocked so Amber is now joining forces with police to encourage her neighbours to keep their homes secure and avoid the hassle and heartache of being a victim of crime.
Amber said: “We were all asleep upstairs and must have completely forgotten to lock the front door because they came in during the night.
“When I realised what had happened the next day I felt physically sick. The first thing that they would have seen when they came through the door was my baby’s pram, and they would have realised I had a newborn daughter from all of her things downstairs. Despite seeing all this, they still stole our purses, handbags and a camera that had photographs on of my daughter.
“I feel violated and want to move. I never thought that it would happen to my family.
“If I could pass on some advice it would be to lock your doors and windows, because you never know if you’ll be next. I’d also tell people to take their purses, bags and cameras upstairs with them when they go to bed so they’re not lying around.
“We didn’t expect this to ever happen to us and now that it has, it has shaken us all.”
In total, police are investigating 38 burglaries in South Cumbria that have occurred this financial year (since 1 April 2011). Twenty seven of the 38 burglaries occurred in the Dalton, Barrow and Ulverston areas and 14 of the 27 occurred in properties that were left insecure. This has prompted local officers to highlight the problem and issue crime prevention advice to local residents in a bid to stop others becoming victims of burglary.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Forrester said: “The good news is that there have been eleven less victims of burglary in South Cumbria so far this year. However, the figures show that more than half of the victims in the Barrow, Ulverston and Dalton areas may have saved themselves the heartache by simply locking their doors and windows.
“It is clear that our message isn’t getting through to some who find it hard to break the habit of keeping their doors and windows unlocked -so I hope that Amber’s story hits home.
“Many people simply do not realise the amount of distress and hassle that comes with being a victim of burglary. It is an awful crime that can leave victims unsettled and uncomfortable in their homes – which is why we investigate burglary as a priority in Cumbria.
“We will do everything we can to catch offenders and protect residents from burglars but it is a crime that we can only tackle together, as a community. We need local people to make criminals’ lives as difficult as possible by taking home security seriously.
“There are a lot of opportunist thieves out there who won’t be able to resist an open door or window. If you lock up, you can deter a thief and keep hold of your possessions. Look out for your neighbours and if you spot somebody acting suspiciously in your local area, report it to us immediately so that we can try and prevent a crime before it happens.”
Police offer the following advice for keeping your homes secure:
• Ensure that you lock your doors and windows when you go out
• Keep your side gates and sheds locked
• Keep cash and valuables safe and well hidden
• Postcode your valuables with a Ultra Violet pen and consider registering them at www.immobilise.com*
• Leave a light on and draw your curtains when you go out at night
• Make sure callers to your home are genuine, always ask for identification
For more information on home security, please contact a member of your local policing team on 0845 33 00 247.
If you have information or witnessed any suspicious activity around Anson Street between 7-8 June, please contact Barrow CID on 0845 33 00 247 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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