Shropshire hit by massive crimewave

Gangs of criminals have sparked an unprecedented crimewave across Shropshire – with six homes a day falling victim to burglars.

More than 70 homes have been broken into across the county in the last two weeks, with organised criminals blamed for the crime spree.

Police said there had been six break-ins in Telford and a further half a dozen in Shrewsbury over the weekend bringing the total since the start of the month to 73. Jewellery, cash and cars worth hundreds of thousands of pounds have been taken in the raids.

It comes as:

• A second poppy tin was taken in the space of a week from a Whitchurch church.

• A towering landmark turbine was stolen from the grounds of a St Martins school.

• Raiders snatched thousands of pounds of jewellery from homes in Oswestry, Telford and Shrewsbury.

Police said most of the break-ins in Shropshire had been in the Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth areas.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Edwards, from West Mercia Police, said officers were pleading with the public for information to catch the gangs. He said: "I've got a number of leads but I need intelligence from within the community to get a breakthrough.

"There has been a very sharp increase in burglaries in the Shrewsbury area and I would say it is becoming unprecedented with the numbers we are now seeing.

"I need people to actually lock their doors, put their lights on and take the steps to warn off potential criminals."

Jewellery worth thousands of pounds was also stolen from a home in Caer Road, Oswestry, on Saturday.

Over the weekend there were house burglaries in Canon Street, Abbots Way and Windermere Road in Shrewsbury. Anyone with information on the burglaries, or who witnesses a break-in, should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Leader - Lock up and keep your eyes peeled

By David Seadon