Cumbria Constabulary remains fully behind a national commitment by police chiefs to attend all home burglaries.

In Cumbria, every burglary where someone’s home is entered is investigated by a detective, meaning the offences become the focus of specialist investigative skills from the outset.

Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Stalker said: “We recognise that being burgled, especially in your home, can be traumatic.

“We have always taken this type of offence extremely seriously and we are pleased with the great work done in recent years to ensure offenders are brought to justice.

“We are not complacent and we are doing all we can to make sure that people feel safe in their homes.

“We ensure every residential burglary where a person’s home is entered is attended by a police officer and is allocated to detectives in our CID teams, so they get these officers’ specialist expertise from the outset.”

Since the national commitment was made in October last year, the force has charged 24 people with burglary offences.

The following three case studies are examples of the work Cumbria officers have conducted to bring offenders to justice in recent months.

Case Study: Barrow burglar jailed for over three years

In March, Zachary Richardson was sentenced after he burgled a house in Barrow whilst a young child slept on the sofa.

Richardson, 25, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 42 months in prison.

In December last year Richardson entered an insecure property in Barrow. He entered the living room searching the room taking a number of electronics, a purse and wallet all while a child was asleep on the sofa. The break was discovered the next day.

Our officers worked quickly to identify who was responsible and their investigation brought Richardson to justice.

For more information on this case, please visit: Man jailed for over three years following burglary – Cumbria Constabulary.

Case Study: Burglar who targeted homes in Workington jailed

 In January, John Porter was jailed after targeting four homes in the Northside and Seaton areas.

Porter, 43, of no fixed address, was sentenced with three burglary offences and an attempt burglary for offences committed in December last year.

Officers were quick to react, arresting Porter and recovering stolen property which was returned to their rightful owners.

Porter is currently serving a 40 month sentence.

For more information on this case, please visit: Burglar who targeted homes in Workington is jailed for over three years – Cumbria Constabulary.

Case Study: Carlisle man jailed for aggravated burglary

Last month, Stuart Brown was jailed for six years and nine months after he entered a woman’s home in the middle of the night whilst armed with a knife and wearing a face-covering.

Brown, 27, of Eskdale Avenue, Carlisle, was sentenced for aggravated burglary and possession of a knife following our investigation.

The investigation commenced after the incident was reported in 2019.

Extensive police enquiries led to the identification of Brown and his subsequent conviction.

For more information on this case, please visit: Op Sceptre: Man who entered home whilst carrying a knife is sentenced to more than six years in prison – Cumbria Constabulary.
Burglaries at homes across Cumbria are often spontaneous crimes carried out by opportunist thieves trying door handles or reaching in through open windows.

Detective Chief Supt Stalker added: “Simple steps such as locking doors, not leaving out-of-sight windows open and not leaving valuable possessions in view of potential thieves can be effective in preventing incidents.

“At this time of year, many of us will go on holiday. It is important to be vigilant at this time and to be careful with any social media posts you publish, as you may inadvertently advertise your home to potential criminals. Please ensure that your privacy settings are robust and are locked down so any posts are only seen by those you would be comfortable sharing such information with.

“We would also encourage you to be vigilant and report suspicious activity you witness.

“By reporting information, this not only helps inform us of potential criminal behaviour but it can lead to robust action being taken and offenders being brought to justice.”

Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), Peter McCall said: “I’m pleased to note that for a number of years now, it has been the policy here in Cumbria, that the Constabulary has sent specialist police officers to investigate the crime scene where a home has been burgled, so for us, this is not a new policy.

“The public can be assured that here in Cumbria, burglaries are taken seriously, especially where it has taken place in the home. The force will continue to deal robustly with these types of crimes.

“Many burglaries, particularly during summer months, can be prevented with some simple home security measures, such as making sure doors and windows are locked and secure.

“Burglars and thieves are often opportunistic and acting on the spur-of-the-moment. They take advantage of insecure homes and open windows – so we would always urge people to take such measures as they can to keep their own homes, vehicles and property as secure as possible, don’t make it easy for the criminal.”

Anyone with information can report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it – you can also call on 101.