VULNERABLE elderly people were in their isolated homes during terrifying cash and gun-raid burglaries - but an arrest has now been made.
Guns, including shotguns and rifles, as well as cash and jewellery, have been stolen during raids on the border of Worcestershire and Herefordshire.
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We have reported this week on burglaries in Clifton, Lower Broadheath and Mamble, near Great Witley, during which shotguns and rifles were taken.
Now more details have emerged about some of the victims of these residential burglaries.
Residents are urged to remain vigilant and call 999 if they discover a burglary in progress so West Mercia Police officers can be deployed as quickly as possible to the scene.
DS Grant Fraser of Proactive CID, based at Worcester Police Station, said: "There has been a series of residential burglaries around the rural villages on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire border.
These offences occurred between January 30 and February 2.
"Offenders have broken into properties in the afternoon / early evenings. On at least two occasions the elderly occupants were in their homes when the offences were committed.
"Offenders appear to be targeting cash and jewellery, but shotguns have also been reported as being stolen from one of the targeted addresses."
Following work from various policing teams across West Mercia a suspect has been identified and arrested.
At the time of writing the suspect is in police custody at Worcester Police station awaiting interview.
"South Worcestershire’s Pro-Active CID burglary team will continue to investigate the series and will look to identify further offenders in due course," he said.
Two shotguns were stolen from a property in Mamble, near Great Witley, northwest of Worcester on Wednesday.
That burglary came just two days after air rifles were taken following another raid in Clifton-upon-Teme and a third break-in at Lower Broadheath.
All these burglaries are now being linked by West Mercia Police during the 'fast-moving investigation'.
DI Dave Knight of South Worcestershire Proactive CID said the house in Mamble was occupied when the burglars walked in and stole the shotguns.
He said: "These offenders are targeting isolated properties in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire area. This is a fast-moving investigation being led by South Worcestershire Priority CID. We will not rest until we have bought these offenders to justice."
A home was raided in Old Road, Clifton-upon-Teme, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Two rifles and a motocross bike were stolen after burglars broke in through a window in the home which was not occupied at the time.
A further raid at Lower Broadheath also took place on January 31.
The guns stolen have been identified as a .22 BSA air rifle and a .177 AirMaster which is an additional concern to West Mercia Police because they could be used in other crimes.
Police have made 23 burglary arrests since the start of this year in South Worcestershire alone with burglary identified as one of the top priorities for the force.
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