Warning as high value gold burglaries triple

Families in Bradford who keep large amounts of gold jewellery at home have been urged to review their security measures after a big rise in thefts.

Det Ch Insp Mark Atkinson, head of Bradford district's Serious and Organised Crime division, issued the warning after over 60 households were targeted across the city in a seven-month period - more than triple the previous year's total.

In some cases, victims - who police said were mostly, but not exclusively, from the city's Asian communities - were threatened with knives and told to hand over valuables worth thousands of pounds.

Det Ch Insp Atkinson said: "The impact is devastating. Anybody coming into your house is a horrific thing to happen."

A total of 62 such burglaries had taken place since July, with 12 people arrested by the Bradford District Crime Team in connection with the incidents, he said.

In the previous similar period, there were just 18 break-ins of that nature.

Det Ch Insp Atkinson said the number had risen "significantly" from previous years.

"Gold prices are at an all-time high, and also there's a degree of deprivation in the area," he said.

"Criminals do want to get money from somewhere, and because of the gold prices I believe that's the key factor as to why it's being specifically targeted and taken."

In one burglary, the owner's gold was taken while diamonds were left behind, while in another raid between £30,000-£40,000 of gold was stolen, Det Ch Insp Atkinson explained.

"In the majority of the burglaries, the suspects are not confronting the families," he said.

"However, on one occasion there has been an incidence where the victims were threatened with knives."

Det Ch Insp Atkinson said some families stored valuables in wardrobes and even in cardboard boxes, which he specifically warned against.

He also appealed to everyone with high value gold jewellery in their houses to "look at their security measures".

"Make sure the CCTV is working. If you've got a house alarm, make sure it's serviced and working," he said.

"We do hear of victims where the gold is kept in wardrobes. Please try to move it around the house and please try to hide jewellery or use more secure locations."

Det Ch Insp Atkinson added: "The amount of gold that has been taken varies from address to address.

"But what I can say is, all the gold has been taken from every house that has been entered by these offenders."

The detective asked for people's help tracing the culprits, whose actions he described as "abhorrent".

As part of efforts to tackle the issue, a walk-in advice session was due to be held in Wibsey, one of the areas affected by the spate of break-ins, on Saturday starting at 11:00 GMT, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Officers were expected to hand out crime prevention advice and any concerns raised would be passed onto the team for investigation, police said.

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