STUDENTS are being warned not to sleep with their windows open following a rise in burglaries across parts of Southampton.
On some occasions thieves are putting their hands through bedroom windows and stealing whatever they can reach – usually mobile phones and laptops – while others are getting inside homes because the front doors are not locked.
Halls of residence and shared houses are top of the target list of opportunist burglars who are striking both day and night.
The problem is worst in Portswood, Highfield and Bassett, which are heavily populated by students.
Among the regular haul is expensive laptops, MP3 players, iPods and CDs.
Police have launched a dedicated operation to try and wipe out the problem.
Posters urging people to make their property safe and increase security have also been put up on notice boards and leaflets delivered to local homes.
Figures show a year on year increase in burglaries in the area, with 58 reported break-ins during August and September compared with 41 in the same months last year.
Helen Ward, spokesman for the Burglary Investigation Team (BIT), said: “Students living in halls should not leave windows open and their valuables in sight and unattended even for a moment.
“We always get a peak in that burglary trend when the students come back to the city and the message for all residents is to take measures to ensure their property is safe and protected.”
• Anyone with information or wanting advice should call BIT at Hulse Road on 023 8059 9997.
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