Stolen goods handlers warned

AS a major crackdown on burglars in the Great Yarmouth area reaped early successes, the police chief leading the operation warned that people handling stolen goods would be the next to be targeted.

AS a major crackdown on burglars in the Great Yarmouth area reaped early successes, the police chief leading the operation warned that people handling stolen goods would be the next to be targeted.

Since an all-day operation on Monday last week, questioning suspects, giving crime prevention advice and undertaking a stop-and-account exercise in the burglary hotspot villages of Caister and Hemsby, two men have been charged with break-ins.

A further suspect, currently on remand in Norwich Prison, is being questioned about his possible involvement, and two more are on police bail, pending the results of forensic analysis.

Det Insp Rickie Botwright reported that so far there had been no more break-ins since the operation, which was launched to catch thieves responsible for 65 burglaries in the area since the start of December.

Single-mindedly targeting cash and jewellery, they had been consistently leaving behind other less portable valuables such as laptop computers.

Det Insp Botwright pledged to repeat last week's operation and also to target people handling stolen goods.

He said: “We have already carried out one search warrant, which proved negative, and are planning more in the Caister area.

“If people did not buy stolen goods there would not be an outlet for burglars.”

He urged people to ensure valuable items were postcode-marked with UV pens so they could be identified if they were stolen and later recovered.

“We have a garage filled with property that has never been identified,” he said.