A MUM-OF-THREE disgusted by a six-week spate of crime in Crossflatts wants fellow dog-walkers to start after-dark street patrols to keep thieves at bay.

Kim Greenham has lived in the village all her life and grew up in The Drive, where she still lives.

She has organised an emergency public meeting next Wednesday with the Neighbourhood Policing Officer with the aim of tackling a recent spate of burglaries from homes, outbuildings and cars.

“Crossflatts has been hit really badly during the last six weeks with houses, cars, garages and sheds all broken into – you almost daren’t open the curtains in the morning because of what you might find,” she said.

“For example, last week a garage in my road had its door taken off the hinges and an £800 bike stolen.

“It’s getting so bad that people are keeping garden tools in their homes because it’s almost a crime a day.

“Residents need to take control of our streets and I want to get as many people as possible along to this meeting to talk about how we can do that.

“The police try their best, but they simply haven’t got the resources so the main idea is that dog walkers like myself go out after dark in high-vis jackets and report anything suspicious they see and particularly keep an eye on properties where elderly people live.

“I’ve heard how how cars are turning up, lads jump out and then run down a street checking all the car doors to find any open.”

Mrs Greenham, who works at Bingley’s Marks & Spencer petrol station shop, said she had set up Crossflatts Neighbourhood Watch on Facebook and was giving out help and advice.

“People can put an old baby monitor in their shed or garage so they can hear if anything’s going on – or there are little alarms which will go off if a door is opened.”

The meeting is at the Rishworth Club, Keighley Road on Wednesday, September 28, from 6pm to 7pm.

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Seven sheds in Bingley parish were burgled in a week, according to the latest crime figures given to Neighbourhood Watch, including the one mentioned by Mrs Greenham.

Others took place in Keighley Road, where a Makita power tool was taken, and in Ashfield Crescent, where another bike was stolen.

Two cars were stolen from Stone Hill, Eldwick, after a house door lock was forced to gain entry and keys stolen and a sat nav was taken from a locked vehicle parked on the canal towpath at Dowley Gap.

Ward Councillor David Heseltine said: “All this reinforces a common perception that policing in Bingley is almost non-existent.”

Inspector Julie Deacon, of the Shipley Area Neighbourhood Team, said: “We are aware of some recent incidents in the Crossflatts area where outbuildings and sheds have been targeted.

“We are increasing overnight patrols.”