Andy Munns
A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of various offences after two burglaries in the Dinton and Teffont area.
Just after 8 pm on Saturday night last week (30/09), Wiltshire Police responded to reports of a burglary in Dinton involving three men in balaclavas.
When officers arrived, they found out buildings had been badly damaged, and some tools had been stolen.
An hour later, officers received another report of a burglary in Compton Chamberlayne.
In this incident, a quad bike had been reported stolen, along with tools, including a chainsaw. The victim claimed he had seen a pick-up trying to tow a tractor from an outbuilding, but when trying to stop them, the vehicle had struck the gates, causing the tractor to disconnect.
Inspector Tina Osborn said: “After the first incident, my officers flooded the area to look for the vehicle to no avail. When the second report came in, our officers were already on the roads.
“They came across a quad bike which managed to get around them but were then rammed by a second vehicle, writing off our police car.
“A number of men decamped from the vehicle, with our officers managing to detain one of them.
“We are pleased to say that some of the items reported missing were found in the back of the vehicle.
“We are working closely with Farmwatch, and I would urge everyone to remain vigilant and secure their property as much as possible.
“We will be carrying out extra patrols, and we would ask everyone to contact us straight away if you see anything that looks suspicious.
“Burglary remains one of the top priorities for the Force, and we will deal with offenders robustly.”
A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of burglary, dangerous driving, taking without owner consent, failing to stop and criminal damage.
He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.
A good standard of building security is very important in rural areas, especially for outbuildings that may not be visited for weeks at a time.
Farmhouses and other rural properties are the same as any other home, so general home security advice still applies.
However, additional security measures may be beneficial because of the remote location.
- install a burglar alarm on buildings where equipment is kept
- always lock vehicles when left outside and keep the keys in your possession
- consider using hitch locks, wheel clamps or ground anchors
- mark your tools and equipment and register them
- consider fitting outside security lights
- keep the boundaries of your land and property well-maintained and secure
- fit strong locks to sheds, garages and outbuildings
- make sure gates cannot be lifted off or have their fixing bolts removed
- use locking posts or temporary obstructions to control wide access points to yards
- install automatic security lights that come on at dusk and turn off at dawn
- install CCTV cameras to watch over the most vulnerable areas of the property
