Southsea man jailed for more than two years after burglary

Michael John Smith, 35, of Warwick Crescent appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday (November 1), having been charged with burglary at a house in Locksway Road on September 25.

The court heard how Smith entered a garage at the property, taking a pair of gardening gloves before breaking into the house via a dog flap in the back door.

Several items were stolen including jewellery worth more than £7,000. The items were later recovered.

Det Sgt Deborah Mason, from the eastern Operation Hawk team, said: ‘Residential burglaries are despicable crimes and the distress they cause to victims is immeasurable.

‘We are pleased that Smith is facing the consequences of his crime and we hope that this sentence reassures our communities that we take these offences very seriously. We will always investigate all available lines of enquiry to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.’

Hampshire police are reminding people of ways to protect their property:

- Shut all windows and lock them when you are not using the room, at night and when you leave your property.

- Lock all front and rear doors at night and when you are out. If you have a UPVC door with a multi-point lock ensure you lift the handle and lock it with the key. Remove the key after the door or window is locked.

- Put all car keys and other keys out of sight and not in reach of windows and letterboxes. It doesn't take much for the keys to be hooked through the letterbox.

- Keep valuables out of view in a secure place.

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- Ensure side and back gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property. Also make sure sheds and garages are locked with reliable and robust locks to deter any potential burglars.

- Do not leave ladders and garden tools in your garden; lock them away in your shed.

- Have an intruder alarm system installed by an approved contractor. Ensure a visible alarm box is attached to the outside of your home. Also consider fitting security lighting.

- Leave a light on so your home looks occupied if you are going out for the evening. If you head out while it is still daylight and won't be back till after dark then timer switches (available from most DIY stores) can be useful for turning your lights, radios and other appliances on at a set time before you get back.

For more crime prevention advice regarding house burglaries, visit hampshire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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