Police investigating care home break-ins across Scotland urge security review

Police investigating multiple break-ins in care homes across Scotland by a gang targeting elderly residents’ possessions, are calling on care settings to review their security.

In just four days, (between 17 June and 20 June), 10 break-ins occurred in Lanarkshire, Glasgow and West Lothian and police suspect all the crimes are linked and carried out by the same gang of thieves.

Care home crime wave

Strathaven Colinsdene Nursing Home in Strathaven was the first care home to be broken into at 12.50am on 17 June.

Three more break-ins occurred in Glasgow at the Greenfield Park Nursing Home, Hogganfield Loch Nursing Home and Little Sisters of the Poor Sheltered Housing Complex.

Later that night, another Glasgow care home was targeted, after staff at the Oakview Manor Care Home disturbed a group of men entering the building.

In the early hours of 18 June, a break-in was discovered at the Whitehills Care Home in East Kilbride. This was followed by a break-in at the Forefaulds Nursing Home in East Kilbride at 1am.

That same day, an attempt was made to force entry into the Embrace Care Home in East Kilbride.

At around 2.40am on Saturday, 20 June, a break-in happened in the manager’s office at the Livingston Nursing Home in Livingston. Later that same morning, another forced entry was discovered at Broxburn Nursing Home in Broxburn, with an office broken into.

Police urge care homes to review security after ‘shameful’ offences

In a statement, Police Scotland said: ‘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’.

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”.

Police Scotland has advised care homes seeking security advice to call via 101 to arrange a visit from a Police Scotland Crime Prevention Officer.

Anyone with information for the police about the break-ins can contact Lothian and Scottish Borders CID via 101 and quote incident number 634 of 20 June 2020.