Spate of burglaries across Burnley and Pendle linked by police

Officers have been called to six separate incidents since last Thursday which are all being treated as linked at this stage.

Although no arrests have been made at this stage enquiries are ongoing and reassurance patrols have been stepped up in the areas affected.

Officers are keen to identify a group of masked men seen in the vicinity at the time of the burglaries and the and attempted burglaries.

The first incident happened at 5-08pm on Thursday when unknown offenders have broken into a house Garsdale Avenue, Reedley, using a tool. Once inside they searched a number of bedrooms, before escaping with just under £1,000 cash.

At 6-36pm the same day police were called to reports of a burglary in Halifax Road, Nelson – close to the junction with Hill Place. In that incident, the suspects broke in via the back door of the property using a tool and ransacked a number of rooms, before leaving empty-handed.

The third reported burglary happened in Chapel House Road, Nelson, at 6-55pm on Friday when the offenders have used a tool to force their way through a window before taking hundreds of pounds of cash from the kitchen.

Later the same day, at 7-36pm, the offenders have smashed several windows of a property in Clarkson Close, Burnley, and once inside have ransacked a number of rooms, before escaping empty-handed.

At 5-37pm on Saturday police were called to reports of three men, who were wearing dark clothing and had their faces covered, trying doors and windows of properties in Castle Street, Brierfield.

The sixth reported incident happened at 5-26pm on Sunday when a number of men wearing balaclavas were seen outside a property in Townley Street, Brierfield. It is believed they had tried to get into the property but left after being disturbed by the occupiers.

Det. Sgt Phil McGauley, of the East Targeted Crime Team, said: “We appreciate these incidents will have caused a great deal of concern in the community and our investigations to identify those responsible are very much ongoing.

“We need the public’s help with our enquiries and I would ask anybody with information or who saw anything suspicious in the area at the times of the offences to contact police. I would also ask people to check their CCTV and dashcam footage to see to if they can see any suspicious looking vehicles or individuals around the times of the offences.”

Anyone with information or CCTV or dashcam footage is asked to email [email protected], call 101 quoting log 1025 of November 12, 2020 or report it online at https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk. Alternatively, contact independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.