Detective urges public to support fight against burglary

A SENIOR crimebuster has said the support of the public is vital in helping the police tackle burglaries in the Rotherham district.
Det Chief Insp Lee BerryDet Chief Insp Lee Berry
Det Chief Insp Lee Berry

A SENIOR crimebuster has said the support of the public is vital in helping the police tackle burglaries across the Rotherham borough.

Det Chief Insp Lee Berry, who is spearheading the battle against burglars, wants more people to come forward with information if they suspect an offence.

He said the district has certain burglary hotspots and that the force has a team to act quickly when offences occur.

Mr Berry said he would like to see more Neighbourhood Watch groups.

And he said police use high profile policing and covert measures to put a stop to burglars’ activities.

Figures show that between April 2015 and March 2016, there were 12,625 burglaries recorded in South Yorkshire as a whole, with 6,210 relating specifically to dwellings.

There has been a rise in the number of burglaries across Rotherham but, according to Mr Berry, the figures should be looked at cautiously.

He said: “From last year you will see an increase in burglaries but what you need to be aware of is the way we record burglaries has changed significantly over the last 12 months.

“We are recording more things. We have yet to see how that levels out.”

Mr Berry said house burglary counts now include the areas around a property such as thefts from garages, sheds and other outhouses, boosting the figures.

But he said businesses have also been targeted by burglars and the theft of high-powered vehicles has been a problem.

Mr Berry said: “We are also acutely aware of thefts from business premises, particularly in Rotherham.”

He said his team looked at crime data and acted accordingly if certain areas proved to be burglary hotspots or if there were trends.

Mr Berry said: “What we do is map that and we look at the breakdown quarterly, monthly or fortnightly where crimes are occurring then set preventative patrols around those areas.

“We will identify hotspots.”

Mr Berry said that certain areas prove a popular attraction to burglars — such as Eastwood, Broom, Clifton and increasingly Masbrough — with some places made more vulnerable because of the layout and design of houses, which offer unseen access and escape routes.

Mr Berry said: “The design of certain areas make you very susceptible to crime”.

But Mr Berry said the answer was having the information which can help the police track down criminals, which is where the public’s eyes and ears comes in.

He said: “We need that engagement with the community.

“I am really eager to engage with the community and know what they know so we can deal with it.

“I think communities are our best way of getting this sorted.

“If you think something is not right then let us know. If you don’t report suspicions how do we know if it's suspicious activity?

“That one piece of information you have got might be the missing piece of a jigsaw.”

Mr Berry said that a multi-agency group including bodies such as Rotherham Borough Council helped tackle crime and the “re-emergence” of Neighbourhood Watch groups would be invaluable.

He said intelligence also helped the police trace when stolen goods were passed on, blocking off the market for stolen property.

Dedicated inspectors, sergeants, and PCSOs are part of Mr Berry’s team, and there are dedicated resources to tackle burglaries between 7am and midnight.

Mr Berry said that while people can take steps to make themselves less vulnerable to burglars — such as locking doors and windows, being suspicious about the identity of callers, keeping an eye on elderly neighbours, not leaving car keys in the ignition  — the fault for offences taking place lies firmly on the criminals.

He said: “At the end of the day an offender is making an informed choice to break the law. They will exploit people and the lifestyle they are living. It’s not the victim’s fault.

“Burglary will always happen but it can make a significant impact. I want to get to a situation where the likelihood of becoming a victim is less and less.”