Cumbria Police officers are urging residents in the Maryport, Dearham and Workington areas to be vigilant and report suspicious activity after a series of thefts were reported to police over the weekend.

Eight offences were reported over the weekend (2-3 December) and police are aware of videos which were circulated on social media showing a group of males trying to enter house and car doors.

Two 16-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of theft and they have been released on police bail while enquires continue.

Community Beat Officer PC Sam Steele said: “We have arrested two individuals in connection with reports of theft over the weekend.

“However, residents are reminded to take precautionary steps to secure their homes and vehicles.

“Thieves look for easy targets and the darker, longer nights provide criminals with more opportunity to commit crimes – especially if they can gain access to your home or vehicle without having to force entry.

“There is no place for theft in Cumbria. It is an awful crime that profits from taking from others and I would encourage you to report any suspicious activity to police so that appropriate action can be taken.”

Cumbria Police have issued the following advice is provided to assist in reducing the opportunity for items of value from being stolen from your home or vehicle:

• Lock all doors and windows before you go out and ensure that your house and keys are secure before you go to bed
• Do not leave your home or vehicle unlocked
• Make sure valuables are not stored in vehicles overnight
• Do not leave items of value in the boot – even the smallest of gaps may provide an opportunity for an offender to see through
• You may know that a bag or a box in your vehicle is empty or contains nothing of value, but an offender won’t do, and it may catch their attention
• Consider installing real or dummy CCTV

If you see any suspicious activity, please contact police on 101 or if you witness a crime in action, please dial 999.

Any reports will be investigated under Operation Themis, Cumbria Constabulary’s response to and focus on burglaries.