Police are urging people not to answer their doors to strangers as a crackdown on violent jewellery raids continues.

Officers were visiting Heaton today to show householders how they can keep themselves and their homes safe.

It follows a spate of vicious gold robberies that has blighted Bradford, in which attackers have forced their way into properties to steal goods.

In one raid, on January 8, armed men wielding a gun and a hammer burst into a house in Emm Lane, Heaton, in a terrifying robbery which left the householders traumatised.

PC Vikki Tyrell, of Bradford North Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), said people could help themselves by not answering the door to unknown or unexpected callers.

She said: “We also advise not to keep large quantities of jewellery in the house and not to leave things like wallets, purses and car keys on show.”

And she urged people to keep their windows and doors locked, even when they were at home.

Officers will be working with Incommunities staff to fit extra locks and bolts to homes in the area, and a crime prevention van will be in Lynfield Drive.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson will also be talking to locals about their concerns.

He said: “I will be attending part of the day to see the neighbourhood policing team in action, to talk to people about their priorities, look at the work being done to reduce incidents of gold and jewellery thefts in the area and find out if there is more that can be done.”

Inspector Andrew Croasdale, who leads the NPT, said: “I hope that this will help to provide some reassurance that these serious crimes are quite rare, but also that we investigate each and every one of them them thoroughly and robustly.

“We hope people will come and speak to us so we can help them reduce the chances of becoming a future victim.

“Operation Scaldlock, our three-pronged approach on jewellery robberies in the Airedale and North Bradford area, has already seen several arrests and charges in connection with these incidents and is an illustration of how determined we are to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Anyone with any information on jewellery robberies, burglaries or thefts should contact the police on 101 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.