Rewards worth up to £10,500 have been put up to help find a group of burglars who have broken into almost 100 homes across the south east
Detectives are now linking offences from across East and West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Kent, Surrey and London to one group of offenders but need the public’s help to identify those responsible.
A total of 34 homes in West Sussex, 10 in East Sussex, seven in Brighton and Hove, 35 in Kent, 8 in Surrey and two in London are thought to have been burgled by the group.
Sussex Police, Kent Police and Surrey Police have now each contributed £2,500 to a reward to help catch the offenders – a total of £7,500 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved.
Independent from the police, the charity Crimestoppers is offering its own reward of up to £3,000 for information that is passed anonymously through the organisation’s 0800 555111 number that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for these crimes.
If information passed to the charity should lead to an arrest and conviction, both rewards will be considered.
The group of burglars usually smash doors or windows to get into the homes, carry out quick searches and steal gold jewellery in particular.
The most recent offences happened in Surrey between 3pm and 9.15pm on Tuesday 4 November at Dovers Green Road, Reigate, Yew Tree Close, Horley, St Monica’s Road, Tadworth, and Bakers Close, Lingfield.
They are believed to be using at least two vehicles to carry out the burglaries, a silver Audi and a blue Ford Mondeo, both of which are being driven on false numberplates.
Detective Inspector Dave Wardley-Wilkins said: “The offences across the region are so similar that it we have to presume that they are all linked.
“We believe one group of burglars are involved but at this stage we do not know if it is exactly the same group of people each time. A number of people are involved but the make-up of the group may change depending on who is available.
“In each case the burglars appear to be looking for jewellery when they break in and often leave other valuables items behind.
“There already have been almost a hundred victims in this series and we urgently need the public’s help to stop these offenders before they claim any more.”
Officers are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area of the burglaries on the days they were committed or the days before and who may have seen people acting suspiciously.
Of particular interest is anyone seen with a silver Audi or blue Ford Mondeo like those pictured that are fitted with numberplates that have been cloned from another, unrelated car of the same type and colour.
The numberplates could be switched after the burglaries so police would also like information from anyone who may have seen cars having their numberplates changed or who has found abandoned numberplates.
In West Sussex the group are believed to be responsible for nine burglaries in Copthorne, five in East Grinstead, 11 in Crawley, two in Burgess Hill, two in Haywards Heath, three in Ardingly and one each in Turners Hill and Crawley Down.
In East Sussex they are linked to seven break-ins in Crowborough, two in Robertsbridge and one in Battle.
In Brighton there are four burglaries in Patcham and three in Hollingbury that are believed to be responsible for.
In Kent they are suspected of being involved in 12 in Tunbridge Wells, five in Sevenoaks, two in Cranbrook, four in Longfield, five in Tonbridge and one in each of Otford, West Kingsdown, Farmingham, Meopham, Wateringley, Snodland and Kings Hill.
In Surrey they are linked to four in Horley and one in each of Smallfield, Reigate, Tadworth and Lingfield.
The London offences were in Bexley and Sidcup.
Anyone with information should contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting Operation Smart, email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101.
If you have any information about burglaries or shops selling stolen goods, call 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk. For crime prevention advice visit www.sussex.police.uk.
If you see or hear a burglary taking place call 999 immediately.
Residents are also being encouraged to register their items on the world’s largest property database so that if they are stolen, they can be reunited with the owners – and so the offenders can be prosecuted.
You can register your property in just a few minutes by visiting www.immobilise.com. To watch a video about Immobilise and how it works, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XZ66WEER_c.
