'RECKLESS' burglars have been targeting city homes during a spike in break-ins but police have already made a string of arrests, including a man who stole £50,000 of jewellery.
DI Dave Knight of Proactive CID said 10 people had been arrested in the last 10 days after a rise in burglaries in Worcester including in St John's, Battenhall and Ronkswood.
The senior detective, based at Worcester Police Station in Castle Street, said: "There's definitely some unprofessional and young would-be burglars local to the area plying their trade and they are reasonably reckless and poor at their job because they are often getting disturbed by the homeowners.
"However, we also have some more professional individuals from out of the area. There has been an increase in burglaries across the city after some low recording in the last few months - we had been seeing more in rural areas."
On December 4, there was an attempted burglary at an address in Ombersley Road in Worcester followed by another the same day in Albany Terrace.
Further break-ins followed at a vacant property in Battenhall Road where entry was forced to a door but nothing appeared to have been stolen.
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Burglaries have also been reported in Comer Road, St John's on December 5 where two men climbed in through a window but were disturbed and left when challenged.
It is believed the same men were involved in another burglary the same evening in Oldbury Road, St John's. They entered via an unlocked door, stole car keys and got in a car but, again, were disturbed by the homeowner and fled without taking the car.
On December 8 at Oaklands in Worcester, a watch worth thousands was stolen in a further burglary. A burglary also took place in Kilbury Drive in Worcester on December 8 where a rear sliding door was smashed and the victim had a torch shone in his face.
Dan Green, who chased the burglars out of his house, was in bed when three masked men broke into his house at about 7.35pm.
He previously told the Worcester News: “It was a dreadful feeling knowing I’m home alone and no-one is supposed to be here, but someone is coming into my bedroom."
On December 10 homeowners in Hillery Road in Worcester returned to find their kitchen window open along with a safe and a large quantity of jewellery.
A further burglary happened in London Road in Worcester where the front door was forced open and the home searched.
Rian Hart, 22, of Helford Close, Worcester this week admitted stealing £50,000 of jewellery from a home in Hartlebury during a burglary on November 24 and faces sentence for that and a commercial burglary in Stoke Prior in January.
Another 37-year-old male is also on bail for the same burglary in Hartlebury.
So far five people have been charged and remanded, including Arkan Pitraka following a burglary in Back Lane in Malvern on November 3.
Four of the 10 have been bailed and one released under investigation.
Three people were charged and remanded in custody over the weekend following a burglary in Cutnall Green, near Droitwich. They have been named as Robert Spiru, 32, Marian Comanceanu, 22, and Radian Iordan, 38.
Meanwhile, two juveniles have been arrested as part of a proactive operation in St John's on December 5 in connection with several offences, including a house burglary.
Police advise to call 999 if there is any suspicious activity linked to a potential burglary.
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