Call for vigilance after five outbuildings broken into in Runcorn

Detectives are urging people who live in Runcorn to be vigilant after five outbuildings were broken into in the town over the weekend.

Three garages and a shed were entered in Higher Runcorn – on Coronation Road, Langdale Road and Poolside Road – between 10pm on Friday 8 November and 9.45am on Saturday 9 November.

A shed was also entered in Princes Close in Castlefields between 5pm on Saturday 9 November and 2.45pm on Sunday 10 November.

Items, including a mountain bike which has since been recovered, are known to have been stolen during just one of the incidents. They were taken from a shed on Langdale Road between midnight on Friday 8 November and 9.45am on Saturday 9 November.

With one of the two incidents on Coronation Road, three young people were seen entering a garage.

There is currently no evidence of any of the five incidents being linked, though detectives are keeping an open mind.

They are urging anyone with information about the incidents to come forward and are appealing for residents to take action to reduce their chances of becoming victims.

Detective Sergeant Rob McLoughlin, of Runcorn Local Policing Unit, said: “Enquiries in relation to the incidents are ongoing and I urge anyone with any information or footage regarding them to get in touch.

“Perhaps you witnessed something suspicious in the Higher Runcorn or Castlefields areas at the weekend or have information or CCTV or dashcam footage regarding those responsible for any of the garage or shed break-ins.

“If you have any information or footage that may help our enquiries please call us on 101, quoting IML 560626, or give us the details via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/contact/general-enquiries.

“Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“Residents can also help us and themselves by making it as difficult as possible for criminals to enter their outbuildings.

“They can do this by following our crime avoidance advice.”

Cheshire Constabulary’s tips for deterring thieves and burglars from targeting your outbuildings include:

• Never leave a garage, shed or other outbuilding unlocked and easy prey for opportunist thieves
• Fit strong padlocks to outbuilding doors and make sure that the doors are solid enough not to be kicked in
• Good external security lighting can put off or draw attention to a thief/burglar – the most appropriate form is high efficiency low energy lighting controlled by a dusk-to-dawn switch so that it only comes on when it is dark
• If you have external security lighting that comes on when sensing movement, make sure that the lights are directed downwards to prevent them from being annoying to neighbours and dangerous to passing traffic
• Strong fencing or gates will make it difficult for intruders to get onto your land
• Solid fences or walls, particularly those with a flat or rounded top, are relatively easy for a thief/burglar to climb over – fixing trellising to the top can make it more difficult
• Check for weak spots where a thief/burglar could get onto your land, such as a low or sagging fence or a back gate with a weak lock
• A thorny hedge along the boundary of your property can put thieves and burglars off, as can gravel areas due to the noise of walking on them.