Call for more police in village after recent spate of thefts

DUP Alderman Stephen Moutray is to meet police chiefs to voice the community’s fears of further attacks on their homes.

“This is cause for great alarm. I would like to encourage anyone who sees anything suspicious within the vicinity to report it immediately to the PSNI.

“I personally will be meeting with the police in the next week and will be raising this very issue with them. I believe there has been a lack of police presence on the ground and I will be calling on them to get out on the beat in the Waringstown area.”

“I would commend the Neighbourhood Watch Team for all their hard work in this regard and I know that they too are looking out for the best interest of the Waringstown residents. It is important that we all work collectively to try and eradicate this activity.”

“Residents should not be subjected to this type of behaviour with many of them being elderly. This has caused great alarm amongst the populous of Waringstown and I believe it is time to tackle this problem and have the perpetrators face the full rigours of the law.”

The PSNI in Lurgan urged householders to secure their garden furniture and ornaments.

The police said they were issuing the warning following a number of thefts from gardens in the Waringstown area. The local neighbourhood team are urging residents to lock valuables away and protect your property.

The following steps can help: protect vulnerable areas such as windows, fences, boundary walls and drainpipes. Well positioned external lighting can help to keep intruders away.

Keep your shed in good condition. Fit a closed shackle padlock to the door. Fittings should be bolted through the door and any screws concealed. Fit meshes or grilles to the windows and invest in an alarm. Make sure that large items such as bicycles are chained together. It is much more difficult for a thief to carry away a lot of large items. Ladders should be locked to a secure fixture in the shed or garage so they cannot be used to access upstairs windows. Valuables should be marked with your postcode.

Check that your household insurance policy covers garden or shed equipment and find out if any minimum security standards apply.

If you would like more advice you can contact your local crime prevention officer on 0845 600 8000.