Officers in the north of Sunderland have vowed to maintain the momentum after burglary rates have markedly declined.

Reports of residential burglaries in the north side of the city, which includes the areas of Roker, Fulwell, Seaburn and Southwick, have reduced by more than 15 per cent for the 2018/19 financial year compared to the 12 months previous.

That is testament to the ongoing partnership work and problem-solving approach taken by neighbourhood officers, response teams and the Force’s dedicated Southern burglary team, which is based at Southwick Police Station.

Over the last few months, a number of high-profile offenders have been targeted, with many prolific offenders handed significant jail-terms.

But Neighbourhood Inspector Stephen Prested says police will not rest on their laurels, and has recently tasked Community Support Officers to deliver thousands of leaflets to local residents.

The leaflets include crime prevention advice and guidance for how to best avoid becoming a victim of opportunistic criminality.

“A lot of hard work has been carried out in areas including Roker and Fulwell, and we believe we are beginning to reap the rewards,” Insp Prested said.

“However, that does not mean we will become complacent when tackling, investigating and preventing this intrusive and emotive crime.

“Although the number of reports of residential burglaries have fallen, often the incidents we do deal with involve doors not being locked and valuables being left on display.

“I would therefore encourage residents to take an extra moment to check their front doors are locked, and make sure valuables – such as bags, wallets and car keys – are kept out of view and away from front doors or open windows.

“We will continue to carry out regular patrols and actively pursue those who look to bring misery to our communities, and by working together, we can continue to make it difficult for opportunistic offenders to benefit.”

Across the whole of Sunderland, residential burglaries have decreased by around eight per cent while reports in South Tyneside have dropped by approximately six per cent.