Residents in the village of Barlby are asked to stay alert

Police have recently seen an increase in the number of suspicious incidents reported from the the village of Barlby near Selby.

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There seems to be a pattern where at least two people have been seen on CCTV trying car door handles. Seven incidents of this nature have been reported in a matter of days – a large number happened last Sunday (23 January 2022).

In response to this police are stepping up patrols in the area which will include officers in high visibility as well as plain clothes.

Anyone with any information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220014985. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Inspector Martin Wedgwood from the Selby Neighbourhood Policing team said:

"I would urge all residents in Barlby to be vigilant and to follow crime prevention advice to help protect your home and property" 

"If you do see anything suspicious please report it to us immediately on 999."

Listed below are some simple steps that members of the public can take to protect their property:

• Make your home look occupied by using timer switches on lights and radios.
• Close and double lock all doors and windows when going out – even if you are only away from home for a short period of time. Popping to the shops or nipping to a neighbour can be all the time a burglar needs to break into your home.
• Always double lock your doors and windows when you go to bed
• Keep all valuables and keys out of sight and away from door, windows and letterboxes.
• If you have a porch light turn it on from dusk 'til dawn
• If you are working from home, make sure your laptops and electronic equipment are not on view.
• When not in use, store electronic car key fobs in a security pouch to prevent them being scanned by thieves to open and steal your car.
•  Make sure that tools and garden equipment are securely put away so that thieves don’t use them to burgle your house.
•  If you have a key safe, make sure it is not visible to people passing by, but that anyone tampering with it can be seen.
• Think about installing bollards or gates on your driveway and make sure they are kept locked overnight. These offer a good physical barrier to deter thieves.
• Don’t advertise that you are away from home on social media.
• Consider investing in CCTV at home as this can be a strong deterrent for thieves, as well as giving you peace of mind.