Hampshire Constabulary

Police in Alton have released an e-fit image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with an attempted burglary in Four Marks on Monday, January 19.

At around 8pm two people entered the grounds of a detached house in Winchester Road and attempted to force open the front door.

However they were disturbed by the occupants and left the address.

One of the offenders is described as: 

• Male
• White
• Aged in his early 20s
• 5ft 7ins tall
• Slim build
• Dark, short, thick hair
• Dark eyes
• Uneven teeth
• Long, thin face

PC Tony Crouch, of the Alton Targeted Patrol Team, said: “We want to trace the two people responsible for this attempted burglary.

“We would ask anyone who recognises the man in the e-fit or any with information about the incident to contact police as soon as possible.”

Hampshire Constabulary is running a burglary campaign and offers the following advice: 

• Keep valuable items out of view – if you have electrical equipment worth hundreds of pounds, don’t keep it by the window where passers-by can see it.
• Never leave a key under a doormat or on a string through the letterbox – it’s the first place any burglar will look.
• Make sure tools and ladders are kept in a secure place – burglars will happily use your own garden equipment to break into your home.
• If you’ve taken extra security precautions, let would-be burglars know. If you have an alarm, make sure the box can be clearly seen. If you take part in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, display a sticker in your window, and if you have a dog, put up a warning sign.
• Hide financial documents and keys – if someone does break in you don’t want them to also steal from your bank account or take your car.
• Make sure you secure all your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even if you are ‘just popping out’.
• If you are in the garden or upstairs, make sure your downstairs doors are locked – in the summer burglars can often just open the front door and help themselves.
• Deadlock your doors with the key – don’t just lift up the handle. 
• Make use of all door and window locks fitted in your home.
• Consider getting a letter box deflector.
• Keep house keys upstairs or store them near the door out of sight for easy access in an emergency.
• Keep your car keys away from the front door and store them somewhere safe.
• Keep handbags out of sight.