Vigilant villagers help foil burglars (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Vigilant villagers help foil burglars

SHARP-EYED villagers have been praised by police for helping them arrest a burglar.

The latest newsletter from Warwickshire police in Shipston reports a number of incidents in which the public played an important part in foiling crime.

The first happened in Little Compton on January 19, when two local people gave chase to a man they saw climbing out of a conservatory window of a house in Oakham Road.

The villagers also made a note of the registration number of a car seen in the area.

As a result of their quick thinking, community beat officer Richard Grove arrested a man from a neighbouring force area in connection with the burglary, in which nothing was stolen, the same day.

Community beat officer Mick Hoskin said last week: "The people in Little Compton did absolutely brilliantly. Virtually the whole village mobilised and if it wasn't for their help we wouldn't have made an arrest."

He said Little Compton villagers also alerted the police last Tuesday at about 4.30pm, when bogus roofers were calling at houses in the area near the Red Lion pub, apparently looking for empty houses.

"They were challenged and we have got information with which to make further enquiries," said CBO Hoskin.

Other incidents in the area, which involved members of the public tackling crime, include an attempted burglary at business premises in Tileman's Lane, Shipston, at 9.45pm on January 19, when someone trying to jemmy open a fire door was disturbed by the keyholders after setting off an alarm. The offender, who was described as 5ft tall and slightly built, ran off.

A man attempting to break into a house in Church Lane, Newbold-on-Stour, at 4am on January 24, also ran off when he woke the householder, who shouted at him from a bedroom window.

"Public help is absolutely vital in helping us combat crime. We always welcome information from the public and would rather check something out which turned out not to be a problem than not be told about it," said CBO Hoskin.

He said people should call 999 in an emergency but, if they have any concerns about crime or suspicions they can call Shipston police station on 01608 661415.