Burglaries

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 14

Burglaries

Sir, — Over the last few years, my neighbours and I have been repeatedly burgled, usually by young people on foot or bike, carrying small bags, often adding to the bags at each burglary. They have taken either small disposable items, radios, tapedecks, tapes, razors, clocks and small ornaments or items to furnish and equip flats — towels, bedding, pans, dishes, cutlery and even mowers and vacuum cleaners. I think many people living near areas of low income and high unemployment, often compounded by broken, violent, dishonest, sexually dangerous homes have experiences similar to ours. Is it time for all of us who suffer so, perhaps with the beleaguered insurance companies, to compile a massive list of young people setting up flats on unemployment benefits, going out with empty bags and coming home (or to pubs) with more bags, full? Then, perhaps, we could employ some of the reliable unemployed to conduct surveillance. What do other victims think? And the police? — Yours, etc.,

SUSAN TAYLOR. October 22, 1989.