By Bill Heaney
Police Scotland is appealing for witnesses following a series of break-ins and attempted break-ins within Helensburgh and West Dunbartonshire.
Between Friday 11 March and Sunday 13 March, four incidents occurred at addresses in Alexandria, Balloch and Helensburgh.
These are all high value properties which appear to have been specifically targeted by the thieves.
Entry was gained to a property in Ashley Rise, Alexandria, on Friday, but the suspects were disturbed and made off.
On Saturday evening, a quantity of jewelry and a three figure sum of money were stolen from a break-in at a property in Monaebrook Place, Helensburgh.
At around 8.25pm on Sunday, three men were disturbed in Kennedy Drive, Helensburgh. They made off from the area prior to police arrival.
Later that same evening, the owners of a property in Craiglynn Gardens, Alexandria, returned home to find that entry had been forced and a four-figure sum of cash had been stolen, along with a quantity of jewelry and designer handbags.
Inquiries into these incidents are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to come forward.
Detective Inspector Scott Hamilton from Argyll and West Dunbartonshire CID said: “On two of these occasions, various goods were stolen, leaving the victims extremely distraught and we are pursuing various lines of inquiry to establish if all of these offences are linked and identify those responsible.
“I would ask that anyone who has any relevant information that can assist with our ongoing investigation contacts police immediately – including members of the public who were in these areas and saw anything suspicious, or who believe they may have dash-cam footage that captured what happened.
“We believe these addresses may have been specifically targeted and our plea to homeowners and tenants is to ensure that any and all valuables are stored safely out of sight.
Consideration should also be given to storing items of significant value, such as cash, gold or pieces of jewelry or artwork within banks or other safe storage premises.
“Having appropriate security in and around your home can play a crucial role in deterring would-be thieves and we would urge the public to consider investing in robust locks, motion-activated lighting and even CCTV, if possible.
“We have a range of useful crime prevention advice available on our website at www.scotland.police.uk.”