Here’s why there was a late-night large-scale police operation in a Northampton neighbourhood – police reveal four men arrested
Here’s why there was a late-night large-scale police operation in a Northampton neighbourhood – as police reveal four arrests have been made.
Chronicle and Echo published a report on Tuesday regarding a large police presence in the Briar Hill area on Monday night (November 3) at around 9–10pm.
Undercover and uniformed officers reportedly swarmed the estate, with many residents taking to social media to comment on the chaos.
Video footage shared online shows blue lights flashing along Thorn Hill, Briar Hill, while a photo seen by the Chron appears to show a man being arrested. A helicopter was also seen circling the area for more than 20 minutes.
One resident wrote: “Loads of police and undercover going up Towcester Road.”
Another resident said: “Police running round my back garden and private communal parking out back. I think they're chasing and looking for someone and their police dogs are out my front and back as well.”
Northamptonshire Police have now revealed that officers made four arrests in connection with a series of burglaries that night.
According to officers, the burglaries have been taking place across the region since October 2 and involve the offenders gaining entry through a rear door. Once inside, cash and jewellery are often stolen.
The four arrested are two men from Milton Keynes aged 27 and 29, a 31-year-old man from Leighton Buzzard, and a 36-year-old man from Northampton. All remain in police custody at this time.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Peters said: “We never underestimate how much becoming a victim of burglary can affect a person. Your home is the one place you are meant to feel safe from the outside world and burglars completely violate this right.
“That’s why we have a dedicated Burglary Team to tackle these offences, and I am pleased that we have made four arrests in connection with this series.
“I would ask our communities to remain vigilant to any suspicious activity in their area and to contact us immediately if they see anything out of place. This will allow us to respond in good time and hopefully bring any offenders to justice.
“Finally, and I want to caveat this by making it clear that the only people responsible for a burglary are the burglars themselves, I would encourage everyone to review their home security and do everything they can to make their home as unattractive a target as possible.
“Anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity in their area is encouraged to contact us at the earliest possible opportunity so we can respond in good time."
Police issued the following tips for keeping your home safe:
- Keep front and back doors locked at all times, and keep keys and valuables out of sight and reach from cat flaps, letterboxes, and downstairs doors and windows.
- Close, and ideally lock, all windows when you're not in the room.
- If it's dark before you get home, use timer switches to turn on the lights – and change the times the lights come on to create the illusion that someone is moving around inside the house. Plug-in dusk-to-dawn lights are also popular.
- Keep shrubbery and hedges at the front of the house pruned to below one metre – removing cover for a burglar and giving your neighbours a clear view of any suspicious activity.
- Consider investing in home security cameras, including doorbell cameras, to deter offenders and capture any suspicious behaviour.