POLICE have urged people to remain vigilant after a spate of garage burglaries in north Lowestoft.

Officers are encouraging residents to step up their outbuilding security following a number of incidents overnight from Monday 28 to Tuesday May 29.

Someone entered a garage at Gunton Church Lane between 10pm on Monday and 8.30am on Tuesday and took vehicle keys before entering a shed at the property. The keys were later found discarded in the garden.

A wooden garage at a neighbouring property was also broken into and searched but nothing appears to have been taken. Two sheds at a third address in the road were also entered and an electric drill taken from one, which was found discarded in the garden.

Police have also had reports of shed burglaries in Corton Road and Roman Road in recent days, as well as incidents in the south of the town.

In some of the incidents shed and garages have been left insecure, while others have been broken into.

Police are urging residents to consider installing a shed alarm – available for under �10 from Lowestoft Police Station and relatively cheaply from most DIY stores – and to take further security measures, such as reinforcing doors, to make it more difficult for burglars.

Suffolk Police crime reduction officer Bruce Granger said: 'Sheds and garages are often overlooked when it comes to security but they often contain cycles and other property of value as well as providing an easy source of tools which burglars can use to break into houses. There are some simple and inexpensive ways of protecting sheds and garages.

'With sheds, reinforce the door with a wood panel across the inside. Drill through the door and panel and fit a hasp for a padlock by bolting through from the outside and tightening the nut on the inside, which prevents unscrewing or prising screws off. Secure with a good quality, preferably closed shackle, padlock.

'Many garages are fitted with 'up and over' doors. To make these more secure fit a padlock and hasp to the exterior of door and into the concrete base immediately in front of the garage. If there is a side door to the garage an alternative is to affix a bolt or bolts to the inside of the garage door which slides into a drilled hole in the runner and frame, using a padlock to prevent the bolt being slid. The side door should be fitted with a 5 lever mortise lock.

'If the garage adjoins the house and you have an intruder alarm, consider extending the alarm coverage to the garage. Failing that, a shed alarm with a battery operated sensor movement detector can be used on shed or garage doors.'

For more information and advice visit www.suffolk.police.uk or contact your local crime reduction officer or Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101.