Police issue gold theft warning after Whitley Bay, Blyth, Westerhope and Seaton Sluice crime wave

Officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) are warning the region’s residents to protect their treasured family gold and jewellery.

The message comes after a spate of reports earlier in the month in the Whitley Bay, Blyth, Westerhope and Seaton Sluice areas – however, officers are urging all North East communities to stay vigilant.

Reports made to police included a large quantity of sentimental and valuable jewellery being stolen from people’s homes.

Investigations have been launched to find those responsible however, police are urging the public to stay alert and take measures to protect themselves and their belongings.

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Warning residents to take precautions, NEROCU Detective Chief Inspector Daryll Tomlinson, said: “Some families who have large collections of valuable jewellery, and in particular high value gold, have been targeted by criminals in the past.

“Burglary is a very personal crime and having pieces of jewellery stolen that are of enormous sentimental value can be incredibly distressing for victims.

“As darker nights approach, we often see an increase in burglaries. Burglars tend to target houses that appear empty, particularly if they are not very well-secured. Taking basic steps to secure your home and your belongings is crucial to protect them.”

To help keep your property safe and home secure, the force are recommending the public follow these steps:

• Keep your windows and doors locked and use a burglar alarm system and security lighting.
• Don’t leave jewellery or cash on display in your home or even hidden – instead use a bank safe deposit box to store high-value items, or buy a good quality safe and bolt it to a brick wall.
• Photograph each item, keep a written description and make sure it is included in your insurance policy.
• Use special property marking technology
• Make sure your social media account security settings are ‘high’ or ‘private’ so burglars can’t use it to target you.
• Take photos and keep a list of all valuable property in a safe place, including make, model description and value.
• Be vigilant of unexpected callers or cold-callers offering doorstep services – write down who they said they were, details of any vehicle they were in, and save and back-up any CCTV footage.

Suspicious activity can be reported via the local police force's website or by calling 101.