One man has been charged with 12 burglary offences following a major county-wide burglary crackdown and manhunt by Bedfordshire Police.
Of the 17 offences investigated as part of the operation, police have now revealed that 12 of those charges relate directly to incidents carried out by one man throughout Bedford and Kempston in June alone.
The force’s dedicated burglary team, Operation Maze, has charged three men with a combined total of 17 offences following a series of arrests last week.
Manhunt
A police investigation into the burglary spree identified a main suspect, leading to a manhunt and subsequent arrest.
Two other men were also arrested and charged in connection with separate burglary offences across the county last week.
Detective Inspector Ben Searle, from Bedfordshire Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “As a force, we understand the impact burglary has on our communities and the effect it can have on people’s lives.
“That is why we work tirelessly to target burglary offenders and crack down on those who commit these crimes, with the specialist expertise of our Operation Maze team and the collective efforts of officers and staff across the force playing a vital role in securing last week’s outcome.”
Keep homes safe in the warm weather
With the investigation highlighting a spike in June break-ins, police are urging Borough residents to stay vigilant as temperatures remain high.
“Many of the burglaries we see are opportunistic,” DI Searle added.
“With the warmer weather, we would like to remind people of the simple steps they can take to help deter offenders.
“Please ensure doors and windows are secured when you are not in the same room, keep keys and valuables well away from open windows and doors, and secure garden items such as ladders and tools so they cannot be used to gain access to your property.”
