Cumbria Police are asking people in South Cumbria to be vigilant and report suspicious activity after a spate of garage burglaries across the area.
Since September last year, 10 garages have been hit by burglars in 13 separate incidents, and criminals are continuing to target the area.
The majority of these have taken place overnight between 12 and 4am, with thieves taking large quantities of cigarettes.
In some cases, the items taken have been worth in the region of £4,000.
Police are taking this opportunity to encourage businesses to be aware, particularly ahead of the Easter period, and for members of the public to report any suspicious activity.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Coughlan said: “These crimes will not be tolerated in Cumbria and we are proactively working to catch these criminals and to bring them to justice.
"We believe that these are criminals coming from out of the area, and we have already arrested and convicted one man from the Lancashire area who is serving a long prison sentence.
“It is important however that business owners work with us to increase their security.
"By improving simple things like the sturdiness of doors and windows and making sure they are locked each night, we can all reduce the opportunity for thieves.
“We also need members of the public to contact the police with any information that may assist our investigations. Anything suspicious, particularly at night and near to garages, could be vital to stopping these criminals.”
Businesses are advised to:
- Securely lock all entrances and exits overnight
- Strengthen doors and windows
- Protect valuables by using a good-quality safe
- Keep expensive items hidden out of public view
- Consider secure cages in your stockroom
- Install a burglar alarm and consider CCTV
- Consider installing grilles or shutters to prevent break-in
- Secure your boundaries, restricting access to flat roofs etc
- Make sure any dark corners are well lit
Anything suspicious should be reported to Cumbria Police on 101 or to an officer of PCSO.
Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.