Police appeal for information after Towton burglary

Between 2.45-4pm, on Saturday January 18 a house on The Close, Towton was broken into.

A police spokesman said: “The suspects gained entry by kicking in the front door and carried out an untidy search of all rooms before stealing £800.

“A suspicious vehicle was seen passing the house at 3.13pm and 3.26pm.”

Properties in Wiggington, York, and Bishopthorpe were also burgled that weekend and officers have confirmed that they are investigating whether they are linked.

Investigating officer DC Andrew Chapman of North Yorkshire Police said: “We’re appealing to anyone living, working or visiting the targeted areas over the weekend to contact us if they have any information that could help our investigation.

“In particular, we’d like to hear from anyone who noticed a suspicious dark coloured Audi or has any CCTV or dash-cam footage taken in the vicinity of the burglaries around the same time they took place.

“We would also like to thank the members of the public who have already come forward to provide descriptions of three of the four suspects.”

At around 12.45pm on Saturday 18 January, police received a report from a vigilant neighbour of a burglary in progress at a house on Minster View, Wiggington while the occupants were away. The four suspects had gained entry by smashing a rear patio door before leaving in what was described as a black Audi after being disturbed by the security alarm.

Between 11.30am and 4pm on Saturday 18 January, a house was broken into on Doriam Avenue.

At 5.04pm the same day, police received a report from a concerned motorist that a property on Tadcaster Road in York had been broken into. Following enquiries it emerged nothing had been stolen but the burglary would have taken place between 2.30pm and 5.05pm.

At 5.27pm, police received a report that a house on Church Lane, Bishopthorpe in York had been broken into. The suspects had gained entry by breaking the handle on the back door and smashing the security alarm box before stealing a number of jewellery items. A suspicious vehicle was seen nearby to the burglary on Church Lane at 1.50pm and a neighbour, who passed the house at 3pm, reported seeing an open window and a lamp discarded on the drive.

At 2.22pm on Sunday 19 January, police received a report that a house on Brayton Lane, had been broken into sometime between 1pm on Saturday 18 January and the time of the report. The occupants had returned home to find the French doors had been smashed and a number of jewellery items had been stolen. A suspicious vehicle was seen across the road from the property at around 4pm on the Saturday and the same vehicle is believed to have been at the railway crossing in Brook Street, Selby at about 5.23pm on the same day.

Sometime between Sunday 12 January and Saturday 18 January there was a burglary on Burton Stone Lane in York.

The suspects are described as:

A white male, aged late teens to early 20s of skinny build. He was wearing grey joggers, a black baseball cap, a black jacket and was walking with a limp.

A white male, early 30s, of stocky build with a round face and a light coloured beard.

A white female, around 5ft 4ins tall, wearing a hat and dark clothing.

Anyone who has any information which could assist the investigation or identify the suspects is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police.

Please call 101, select option 2 and ask for David Pegg or Andrew Chapman. You can also email [email protected] or [email protected]

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12200010071 when providing information.