Appeal for witnesses after spate of burglaries

Homes in Glebe Manor, Glendermere Heights and Abernethy Gardens were entered sometime overnight between August 30 and 31. In each case phones, laptops and other electronic items were taken. An attempted burglary was also reported at nearby Abernethy Drive.

Police are investigating a possible link between the burglaries and reports of men cold calling at homes in the area a couple of days earlier.

“People have reported males in the area carrying out door-to-door surveys around the afternoon of August 28 regarding ‘teenagers in house’ and asking about small electronic electrical items used by teenagers. This may be genuine but if anyone has any further information about this, please contact us as soon as possible,” a member of the Neighbourhood Policing Team posted on Facebook.

It is thought that the householders were in the properties when the thieves struck, but police are not treating the incidents as so-called “creeper burglaries” as no vehicles were taken.

“Police are keen to speak to anyone with information or may have noticed anything suspicious in this area during the early hours of Saturday morning,” a PSNI spokesperson said.

“Officers are also investigating reports of a number of males cold calling at addresses in the area prior to the burglaries. These males claimed to be carrying out a survey and police are keen to establish who these males were and what they were doing in the area.”

Investigating officers can be contacted on 0845 600 8000.

Meanwhile, police have rubbished suggestions that a dog was drugged by the burglars at one of the properties.

They were responding to posts on the Newtownabbey PSNI Facebook page where claims were made that a dog was “drugged to cover the burglars while they were doing what they do.”

“There is no evidence to suggest pets were ‘drugged’ at any of these properties,” the spokesperson added.