A burglary victim has praised the Northumbria police officers who supported her and her family following the incident.
Officers were called to a family home in Tunstall, Sunderland, on June 5 after three intruders broke into a house while the occupants were asleep upstairs.
The homeowners woke after hearing a noise and they went to confront the intruders, who then fled the house.
The investigation continues into the burglary, but the victim wrote a letter of thanks to the police officers who have provided support since the incident.
In her letter to Northumbria Police, she wrote: “I apologise for taking up some of your valuable time but I needed to express my gratitude on behalf of my family for the amazing support we have received from your police officers.
“We live in Tunstall and during the lockdown, we were broken into. Luckily, my husband disturbed the three men and they fled – however, it was still a frightening experience.
“The police were incredible. All the officers involved made us feel safe and reassured, and they even arranged for our locks to be changed within about half an hour of the incident taking place.
“They have kept in touch in order to keep us informed and two officers even came to our house with a bag full of safety devices to protect our home.
“I know policing Sunderland must be hard but as someone who loves this city, I’m so grateful that your team continue to try and make Sunderland a better place for all of us.”
Detective Chief Inspector, Michelle Robson, responded to the victim’s letter and also praised the officers for their response.
Michelle Robson said: “Burglary is such an intrusive crime and can have a corrosive and long-lasting effect on not only the victim but their friends and the wider community as a whole.
“This was clearly a terrifying incident for the victim and her family, waking up to find three men downstairs in her home, so it’s incredibly pleasing to read her letter acknowledging the support and work of our officers ever since.
“What pleases me most about this case is that response officers have responded to the initial incident, and other teams have then maintained that strong rapport and trust with the victim, keeping her informed of any developments and organising extra measures to safeguard her.
“I would like to thank all those officers involved and I know our dedicated burglary team based at Southwick Police Station are doing all they can to make sure those responsible are brought to justice.”
Three men have been arrested so far in connection with the offence, but enquiries are still ongoing.
Officers have reminded members of the public to make sure their doors are locked and valuables placed out of sight in a bid to deter opportunistic thieves. Anyone who sees anything suspicious in their community is asked to ring 101. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always call 999.
