Four Scunthorpe burglaries in just one hour in the same area of town

DETECTIVES are investigating a series of dwelling burglaries in Scunthorpe which happened within one hour on the same day.

The incidents took place between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Monday, March 11, where two men approached four separate residential properties in Scunthorpe.

They targeted addresses on Lockwood Crescent, Barnes Crescent and Tomlinson Avenue and stole a walking stick and a purse from two of the addresses.

Humberside Police believe all of the incidents are connected and that these men may have been in the area of each address prior to the burglaries taking place, trying the door handles of a number of different addresses.

Officers have been given a very vague description of the men involved, who are described as being aged in their teens, around 6ft tall and both wearing dark clothing.

The following incidents took place:

Between 6.50pm and 7pm, the female occupant of a flat on Barnes Crescent heard her door open and the dog bark. 

The woman suspected this was a family member she was expecting, however, when she got up from the sofa she saw an unknown man put his head around the door before running away.

The crime reference number is 1962390.

Again, between 6.50pm and 7pm on Barnes Crescent, a man in his flat heard the front door open and when he wentto see who it was, he noticed an unknown man walking halfway up his stairs. 

The occupant confronted the man and he claimed to be looking for somebody. 

He chased the unknown man from his address, when he noticed another man behind the door. 

Both of them then left.

The crime reference number is 1962385. 

Between 7pm and 7.10pm on Lockwood Crescent, an elderly woman was sat alone in her living room when she saw a person enter the living room and go into her kitchen. 

The woman got up to see who it was and noticed another man stood by her living room window. 

The men walked upstairs and were followed by the woman, who then picked up her walking stick. 

The men then made an attempt to leave and the woman hit one of them on the back of the head, before he grabbed the wooden walking stick and ran away with it.

The crime reference number is 1962376.

Between 7.10pm and 7.15pm, two men entered the communal door to a residential area on Tomlinson Court in Scunthorpe. 

The men knocked on the door of one of the flats and claimed to be looking for somebody one of them knew. 

They walked past the 49-year-old occupant and entered the living area. 

One of the men engaged the occupant in conversation, whilst the other one entered another room and stole a purse.

Both men then left.

The crime reference number is 1962374.

Acting Detective Sergeant Sarah Petrow, from the Performance Team in Scunthorpe, said: "All of these incidents happened in a very short space of time and our current enquiries indicate that these men gained entry due to the doors of the addresses being insecure. 

"Police are again issuing the same message to people about how important it is to keep doors and windows locked, not just when you are not inside the property but when you get home lock your door. 

"These men have taken a chance and tried the doors of a number of addresses and managed to gain entry to the four that we are investigating. 

"This is the work of opportunist thieves - they have no consideration for if somebody is inside the address or not. 

"Imagine how shocked you would be to find a stranger in your living room or kitchen?

"Don't give people you don't know easy access to your home. 

"The people who have encountered these men have been very lucky that at two of the addresses nothing was stolen and only a purse and a walking stick was stolen from the other two.

"By keeping your doors locked, you really can prevent the chances of somebody you don't know paying you an unexpected visit. 

"The investigation, into these incidents, is currently in the early stages and I would encourage anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area, between 6pm and 8pm on Monday, March 11, to please call police tel 101 and quote the relevant crime numbers."

Anyone with information is asked to call Humberside Police tel 101 and for information on crime prevention advice, visit www.humberside.police.uk