Residents of Southbourne are feeling insecure after being warned by the police to be on their guard following a sequence of house burglaries.
Police are advising residents to ensure their homes are secure and valuables are not left on display.
Susan Wheeler, 48, said: “A woman around our area has raised concerns about this matter, but when she contacted the police, they told her that her area was like that (unsafe).
“The police have a different mind-set about different areas, and should not create segregation in regards to safety in different areas.”
She also said: “We need to be informed more about what is happening around our areas.”
There have been nine burglary incidents out a total of 95 crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents from December 2012 in Southbourne, according to Home Office.
Councillor Chris Mayne, who supported police’s advice, said: “You should keep your valuables out of sight and make sure your doors and windows are secure.”
“In addition, People should be aware what is happening around them,” he added.
One of the residents expressed his frustration over the advice of the Police of not leaving valuables on display, Jay Lock, 24, said: “The whole ordeal is ridicules and is a big inconvenience for us. How are we going to keep larger things like computers hidden away when we leave the house?”
Although, overall there have been a fall in crimes by 13.4% in Dorset from last year, according to Dorset Police.
Main image courtesy: Warzau Wynn, flickr
