Police hunt those responsible for ‘shameful’ spate of break-ins at care homes

A spate of break-ins at care homes across the central belt are being investigated by the police.

Officers have been making inquiries into ten reports of break-ins since last Wednesday (June 17) across Lanarkshire, Glasgow and West Lothian.

The first incident occurred at around 12.50am last Wednesday when the Strathaven Colinsdene Nursing Home in Strathaven was broken into.

After this incident, three further break-ins occurred in Glasgow at the Greenfield Park Nursing Home, Hogganfield Loch Nursing Home and Little Sisters of the Poor Sheltered Housing Complex.

Late on Wednesday night a further Glasgow care home was targeted, after staff at the Oakview Manor Care Home disturbed a group of men entering the premises.

All of these offences are believed to have been carried out by the same group and work is ongoing to identify these individuals and establish the full extent of what has been taken from the various properties.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police immediately.

Detective Chief Inspector Bryan Burns from Lothians and Scottish Borders CID, said: “Those responsible for these shameful offences have targeted the possessions of elderly and vulnerable members of communities across Scotland. 

“I would ask that anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity around any of the affected premises, between Wednesday and Saturday, contacts police immediately.

“Officers across the country are currently engaging with the care homes where break-ins took place to offer crime prevention advice and conduct property surveys aimed at improving the overall security in and around these premises.

“Staff and management within other care homes throughout Scotland are advised at this time to consider their own security and if required, take appropriate steps to strengthen existing measures. We have a range of useful information on our website at www.scotland.pnn.police.uk, or alternatively contact us via 101 to arrange a visit from a Police Scotland Crime Prevention Officer.”

Those with information can contact Lothian and Scottish Borders CID via 101 and quote incident number 634 of 20 June 2020.

In the early hours of Thursday, 18 June, a break-in was discovered at the Whitehills Care Home in East Kilbride. This followed on from a similar break-in that took place within the Forefaulds Nursing Home, East Kilbride at around 1am. The same day, an attempt was made to force entry to the Embrace Care Home in East Kilbride. At about 2.40am on Saturday a break-in took place within the manager’s office at the Livingston Nursing Home, Livingston. Later the same morning it was discovered that a break in had occurred at Broxburn Nursing Home, Broxburn, after an office was forcibly entered.