THE clocks have gone back, which usually means an increase in burglaries due to darker evenings.

But police are hoping residents take on a few simple crime tips, such as using timer devices on lights to give homes the ‘lived in’ look, to avoid becoming a victim.

Insp Ian Grout said: “Although burglaries reduced by more than 50 per cent last month, we anticipate an increase with the clocks going back.

“However, we can keep the number of burglaries at the current low levels by members of the public taking on board simple crime prevention advice to help reduce the chances of them being burgled.”