Avon and Somerset Police are urging householders in Bath to be aware after three homes in the city were broken into by thieves who stole gold jewellery and cash.
The burglaries all happened last Saturday evening, 28th January, in the Weston and north Weston areas of Bath.
Thieves forced the front door of a home in Brookfield Park between 6pm and 11.30pm and stole seven gold rings, including one set with three diamonds, one set with a large topaz, and one set with three garnets.
A house in Napier Road was then burgled at about 7.45pm by thieves who got in by forcing a first floor window. They took gold jewellery, including large gold stud earrings, large heart-shaped stud earrings and butterfly earrings, a Louis Vuitton purse, a bank card and cash in Euros, US Dollars, Singapore Dollars and Chinese Yuan.
Thieves later forced the back door of a house in Eastfield Avenue, sometime before 11.30pm, broke into a small safe and took cash from a purse.
Officers have carried out house-to-house enquiries and Crime Scene Investigators have examined the properties, while the families have been given tailored home security advice.
If you have any information about these incidents, contact DC 3222 Alastair Binnie through the police website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact, or by calling 101, quoting reference 5217020651.
Alternatively ring the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They never ask your name or trace your call.
Increasingly officers in nearby Bristol and South Gloucestershire have seen burglars targeting cash and jewellery. As a result a team of specialist detectives has been set up, dedicated to thoroughly investigating these offences.
This work, alongside targeted patrols, has already led to dozens of arrests since the team was established last summer.
T/DS John Underhill leads the specialist team. He said: “While there have only been a few of these crimes in Bath, we want people to be aware of steps they can take to secure their homes.
“Previously we’d have recommended keeping valuables in a safe, but the thieves have changed their methods and started stealing whole safes, so we’ve updated our advice.
“Now I’d say don’t turn your home in to a gold mine – keep your valuables with a secure storage company specialising in high value goods.
“We can all help to keep our communities safe by keeping our homes secure, joining Neighbourhood Watch and just as importantly reporting suspicious incidents as they happen.”
