Peterborough burglar gives his advice on how to avoid falling victim to crooks

A Peterborough burglar has revealed his top tips for residents to avoid becoming victims of burglars - and said he is planning on trying to turn his life around after a lengthy spell behind bars.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Nov 2019, 15:54 BST
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The crook, who has remained anonymous, said there were a number of things residents can do to make their home unappealing to burglars.

He spoke to Cambridgeshire police following his release from a seven year prison sentence, and he said he would pick his target house carfully. He said: “Depending on the location, usually I’ll pick a detached house to you’ve got less chance of people hearing you if you break a window, an end house so you’ve got 50 per cent less chance of someone hearing you, or a house covered by trees so you’re not going to get seen as much.

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“If it was open view, if it was a quiet residential area so if you smashed a window you could easily be heard, or if there’s people about.”

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The burglar has just finished a seven year sentenceThe burglar has just finished a seven year sentence
The burglar has just finished a seven year sentence

Once inside the home, he said his main priority was to get in and out as quickly as possible - with the main bedroom the first port of call as ‘that is where the jewellery or money’ is kept.

To deter crooks, the burglar said residents should: “Leave a TV on, leave a light on, have a burglar alarm, and make sure the light on the burglar alarm is flashing. I never used to do burglaries with a burglary alarm. Just make it look as if someone is in the property and that will put a burglar off from entering the property nine times out of 10.”

Now after his release from prison, he is determined to put his life of crime behind him.

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He said: “I’ve just had a long prison sentence from committing burglaries. After spending a long time in jail I’ve realised the hurt and pain I’ve caused my victims.

“I’ve been the victim of a burglary myself, and it’s not a nice thing.

“I feel ashamed. There is not a day that goes by where I don’t think about my victims. There is more to life than committing burglaries.

“I’m actually in the process of trying to put things right. I’m going to write a letter to my victims, apologising to them and hopefully putting their minds at ease, to let them know that the reason I did my burglaries was for drugs and not to hurt them,”