Patrols increased to catch burglars in Clarendon Park, Leicester
By ciaran fagan social affairs correspondent
Police have stepped up patrols in an attempt to catch burglars who have been targeting homes in in Clarendon Park, Leicester, in the past two months.
Officers have also urged residents to take basic steps to protect their homes.
At least a dozen homes, many of them occupied by students, in the area have been burgled since the beginning of the month.
A similar number of homes were raided in December.
Then, police delivered crime prevention leaflets to hundreds of homes in the neighbourhood to encourage people to take some simple steps to protect their properties.
Pc Emma Jayne, beat officer for the neighbourhood, said the number of offences was still unusually high for the area.
She said: "We are staging extra patrols to try to catch the people responsible.
"Most of the break-ins have happened during the day.
"It includes some student houses.
"Criminals know student homes are not like family homes and they will find four laptops, four iPods and so on.
"The message we're trying to get across is people need to be mindful of home security.
"It's simple things like making sure windows, doors and garden or alley gates are locked.
"People can also leave lights on when they are out or use timer switches so lights come on at intervals, so it looks like their house is occupied."
Clarendon Park resident, 20-year-old student James Curren, said: "I live with three other people and it's easy sometimes to forget to lock a door or window and just assume one of the others will do it.
"We've all agreed to take responsibility to make sure everything is safe and locked.
"Between the four of us we've got a lot of valuable stuff and we wouldn't be able to afford replacements if we did get burgled."
The University of Leicester has said previously it frequently reminds students to take basic home security measures when they move into the private rented houses off its main campus.
Crime prevention advice is available from Leicestershire police on 0116 222 2222 or at: