Cash stolen in Glengormley distraction burglary

Detectives in Antrim are appealing for information following a distraction burglary at a dwelling on the Farmley Road on Friday, September 30.

Detailing the incident, a PSNI spokesperson said: “It was reported that sometime between noon and 12:40pm a man who spoke with a southern Irish accent, called at the house and informed the female householder that he was carrying out work to the property at the rear of her house and he needed access to her back garden.

“The woman then took the man to her back garden, whereupon he stated that everything was okay and he didn’t need to use her garden.

“When the woman returned to her house she noticed that a sum of money had been taken from an upstairs bedroom.”

Anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area is asked to contact detectives at Antrim on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 480 30/09/16. Alternatively, if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police would like to take this opportunity to urge everyone to treat with caution any stranger who comes to their door. Bogus callers use many guises, such as working for an electricity company, the water service, a satellite or cable TV provider and even pretend that they have lost a ball or even a cat or dog in your property. Once they have your attention, an accomplice will make an attempt to sneak inside without you noticing so they can steal things like jewellery, cash, mobile phones and other devices. Whatever they can get their hands on they will try to take and you won’t know what has happened until they are gone.

You can also use the Quickcheck number - 0800 013 22 90 to check if a caller is genuine. The 24-hour freephone service enables householders to challenge and independently verify the identity of anyone calling at their door. The call is free and will be answered by a trained operator. They will take the details of the company, which the caller claims to be visiting on behalf of, then contact the organisation to determine if the caller is genuine. If there is anything suspicious the operator will contact the police directly.

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