KEEP doors and windows locked at all times is the warning from police after a wave of house burglaries hit Tynedale.

Northumbria Police say they are cracking down on burglary in Tynedale, targeting known offenders with extra patrols in areas hit by the crime.

Police are also urging residents to make sure they keep their homes secure, especially overnight.

In one incident, between 2am and 7.30am on Wednesday, January 4, a home in Ovingham was hit by sneak thieves.

The home, on Wellburn Close, was targeted by intruders who entered via the front door and stole several items, including computer games, before leaving unseen.

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and remains in custody, helping police with their inquiries.

Tynedale Neighbourhood Inspector Pam Bridges said: “I’m a firm believer in helping people to keep their homes and property secure.

“The best way to do this is to make home security checks part of your nightly routine, checking you have locked your doors and windows before you go to bed.

“All too often we get calls from people reporting a burglary when the offender has let themselves in via an unlocked door.

“These types of sneak-in burglaries cause great upset to the householder and they can easily be avoided by simply locking doors and windows.

“Remember, if you do see someone acting suspiciously where you live, trying doors in your street, then please call the police straightaway on 101, so we can take action.

“Our burglary crackdown is continuing and our priority remains catching offenders who commit burglaries and taking them off our streets to keep our communities safe.”

Neighbourhood officers have been helping residents to protect their property by issuing SelectaDNA crime prevention marking kits to local people.

The kits allow residents to mark their valuable property with SelectaDNA microdot technology, giving property a minute and unique reference number which is kept on a secure database.

Then, if any of the marked property is stolen and subsequently recovered, it can be checked for a microdot and be more easily reunited with its rightful owner.

Anyone with information regarding the incident in Ovingham should call police on 101, quoting reference number 122 of 04/01/17 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.