NORTH Wales Police are urging people to ensure their properties are secure following a spate of burglary attempts in Broughton this week.

Inspector Steven Owens for the South Flintshire policing team told the Leader that three separate incidents were reported to North Wales Police last week regarding thieves that appear to be targeting homes for their bikes in what he described as a “strange pattern of behaviour”.

On incident, reported to have happened between April 16 and 17, saw the criminals break into the property and attempt to steal a bike but were thankfully spooked and left the vehicle in the family driveway.

With a possible window of April 14 and 17, but reported on the same night, a property on Wellington Drive reported that one of their windows had been bent back as if to gain entry to the address but appears to have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

A final incident for this week happened in Wellington Drive where the thieves forced entry into the property’s garage using a shovel where the homeowner stored a motorbike, but this was not taken.

In most incidents, the offenders made off with smaller items, such as toolboxes, but serves as a reminder to ensure that homeowners keep their property safe and secure.

Inspector Owens said: “Being burgled is a scary prospect, but there are a lot of things you can do to deter burglars from targeting your home. Many of us store valuable items such as power tools or bicycles in our sheds, so it's important to make sure we keep them as secure as possible.

“We all lead busy lives, and it's easy to take security for granted. But by taking time to learn more and review your own arrangements, you could save yourself from becoming a victim of crime.”

For more information about protecting your property, go to north-wales.police.uk/campaigns/the-big-easy.