A detective investigating a series of burglaries across Wiltshire has warned that criminals will try keep trying door handles at west Wiltshire homes in a bid to find one unlocked.

Detective Sergeant Andy Beaven, of the Priority Crime Team based in Melksham, hopes that by issuing the stark warning to residents not to leave their homes unsecured, people will stop making criminals’ lives easier.

The Wiltshire Times reported last week on a spate of burglaries in west Wiltshire already this month, including four in one night in Trowbridge and five in one night in Melksham. It follows 74 burglaries countywide, excluding Swindon, last month, of which 22 were as a result of homes left unsecured.

Wiltshire Police have re-launched their Lock It or Lose It campaign, following a similar one run by the Wiltshire Times and police last year.

DS Beaven said he appreciated genuine mistakes are made once in a while and that many of the unsecured homes being broken into are as a result of these.

But he said some excuses given to officers included people admitting they always leave their doors open for their cats or for family members.

“Some of the things we hear really aren’t good, but I appreciate that people do generally make mistakes too and it’s for this reason that we do want to raise people’s awareness and for them to realise, in black and white, what can happen if they don't secure their homes,” he said.

“Recently we had someone who went to about 30 homes just trying doors until they found ones that were open.

“We have told people what they need to do, but they are still not being as safe as they should be.

“I don’t want to scare anyone as we are a safe county, but we can make it even safer with the help of the people living here.”

DS Beaven said the majority of the burglaries were ‘unsophisticated’ But he added: “If someone is going to break into a home and they are determined to do so, then there is little anyone can do.

“But to make sure the house is secure in the first place will make a huge difference. We want to send out the message that these offenders will try door handles until they find one unlocked.”

He said officers were giving out leaflets filled with advice, while neighbourhood policing teams were talking to people in the community about how they can keep their homes secure.