Police bug items to catch thieves

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The fight against prolific burglars has been stepped up a gear, after Scotland Yard detectives have started hiding tracking devices in laptops and other valuable household goods.

Stolen goods are recovered by technical experts utilising electronic devices, similar to those often concealed in expensive cars.

Part of a London-wide crackdown on home raiders, the bugged items are then left in burglary hotspots. If stolen, police then hope to catch and arrest the culprit.

Police have also hidden CCTV cameras in homes they fear may be burgled in the hope of catching criminals in the act.

The undercover move, which has already been used in West Yorkshire, came as part of Operation Bumblebee, launched in October.

Senior officers also warned householders to keep their homes secure over the festive season which traditionally sees a spike in raids. They said there were 148 fewer burglaries in the second week of December this year, compared with 2008, but people must remain vigilant. Police said they often receive a large number of burglary complaints in early January as people return home to find they have been targeted.

As a result every borough in London is running an operation to protect homes and target known crooks.

Commander Maxine de Brunner, in charge of Operation Bumblebee, said the number of burglaries has begun to fall since October.

Copyright © Press Association 2009

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