OVER the course of the last week there have been three burglaries reported in Tavistock and the surrounding areas.

Police say this is very unusual for the area and would like to take the opportunity to remind residents to take basic crime prevention steps. These can range from ensuring any gates to drives are closed and lights are installed with timers costing very little, to alarms and entry systems at the more costly end.

If you have door to door salespeople in your street, ask questions about who they are and what they are doing. If you are still unsure about their legitimacy please call police on 101 and officers will be happy to visit and speak to them.

Police say it is far better they attend and check the details of those involved than have to support more victims of what can result in a most personal type of crime.

A set of keys were stolen from a mobility scooter on Friday, January 20 at 1pm, while it was parked outside the Spar store in Bere Alston. If you witnessed anybody acting in a suspicious manner at this time, please email police on 101 at [email protected] or call 101, quoting crime reference number CR/006118/17.

A sign was stolen from the car park at Knightstone Restaurant in Yelverton between 5pm on Saturday, January 21 and 11am on January 22. If you saw anything suspicious, contact police. CR/005343/17.

Nine Suffolk Cross ewes were stolen from a field in the Lewdown area between January 9 and 21. We would ask anybody seeing suspicious activity with cattle trucks or trailers in rural areas to call police on 101, so police can ensure the correct transport documents are in place. CR/005380/17.