Hampshire Constabulary

Police in Alton are appealing for information after a burglary in Lindford on Thursday, October 15.

Sometime between 7pm and 8pm a man broke into an address in Imadene Close after removing a small bathroom window.

The man searched the property and stole jewellery and a laptop. He was then disturbed by a 54-year-old man who lives at the address and he ran off into the back garden knocking the occupant over as he left.

The man is described as: 

• White
• Slight build
• Just under 6ft tall
• Aged between 18 and 24
• Dark hair
• Wearing a dark, long sleeved top and dark jeans or trousers. Carrying a narrow black rucksack on his back.

PC Oliver Vale, of the Alton Targeted Patrol Team, said: “We want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area at the time of this burglary.

“Although it would have been getting dark it was early in the evening and other people may have been around.

“We would remind residents to ensure their homes are secure at all times, particularly now the clocks have gone back and it is getting dark earlier in the evening.”

Hampshire Constabulary offers the following Safer Homes 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.