Appeal following aggravated burglary in Farnborough
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We are appealing for witnesses and information after an aggravated burglary at a property in Farnborough last night.
The incident occurred at 9.20pm on March 19. A number of suspects forced entry to the rear of the house in Avenue Road by damaging a UPVC door.
They confronted the 35 year old resident, assaulting and threatening her before carrying out a search of the property.
They also entered a bedroom where two other occupants, both aged 82, were and stole jewellery and cash.
Neighbourhood Sergeant Mark Woodhead said: “This was an extremely traumatic experience for the victims and we are following numerous lines of enquiry to track down and arrest these suspects as quickly as possible.
“We would like to assure the community that we are conducting increased police patrols in the area and if you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to speak to one of our officers.
“You can contact the Neighbourhood Team by calling 101 or emailing [email protected].
“We would also urge residents to follow the crime prevention advice given at the end of this news release.”
All suspects were described as wearing dark clothing and face coverings.
There are more detailed descriptions of three of them.
The first is described as being a white male, around five foot seven inches to five foot nine inches tall, of slender build and wearing a dark hoody with the hood up and a face covering.
The second suspect is described as being of big build and around five foot ten inches to six foot tall.
A third suspect is described as being skinny and five foot eleven inches to six foot tall and had slightly darker skin.
If anyone was in the vicinity last night and saw any suspicious vehicles or people, please get in touch. If you were driving through and have dash cam footage or have CCTV or doorbell footage of anything that might help us with our enquiries, please call 101, quoting reference 44200103857.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Sergeant Woodhead added: “If you see anyone or any vehicles acting suspiciously in your area and it’s happening there and then, don’t hesitate to ring 999.
“Householders should take care to secure valuables and ensure doors and windows are kept secured whether you are at home or out and about.”
If you have high value jewellery, please consider the following advice:
If you have a quantity of valuable jewellery in your property, consider storing in another safe location such as a safety deposit box facility.
Avoid posting about weddings, festivals or other celebrations on social media – criminals may see your posts and work out when you won’t be at home.
During festivals, please take extra care while out and about. Avoid wearing large amounts of jewellery in a public place and try to avoid travelling or walking alone.
Check your privacy settings to ensure only friends and family can see your posts and photos.
Photograph each valuable piece of gold or jewellery and keep a written description – this will help police trace it back to you if it is ever stolen and will help identify it if attempts are made to sell it on.
Ensure jewellery is adequately insured. Register all property (not just jewellery) for free on www.immobilise.com.
Try to avoid decorating the outside of your home during religious festivals and events. Symbols, flags, lights or other emblems can help criminals identify homes where gold is likely to be present.
Other security measures include installing CCTV and an alarm and security lighting with motion sensors.
For more information about crime prevention, visit www.hampshire.police.uk.