Woman speaks of terrifying moment three men broke into Sunderland home as family slept upstairs
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Northumbria Police officers were called after three intruders targeted the Tunstall home as the family slept upstairs.
After hearing noises downstairs, the woman’s husband disturbed the three men who fled, but the family was left shaken by the incident.
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Hide AdNow, the woman has spoken of their ordeal as she thanks police for the support she and her family have received from officers.
In a letter of thanks to Northumbria Police, the victim said: “We live in Tunstall and during 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.
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Hide Ad“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.”
Three men have so far been arrested on suspicion of burglary in connection with the break-in on the morning of Friday, June 5 and remain under investigation.
Inquiries are ongoing.
Police are urging residents to make sure their doors and windows are locked and valuables placed out of sight in a bid to deter opportunistic thieves.
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Hide Ad“Quite often, thieves can go door to door hoping for one that is open – and if it is locked, they will just move on to the next street,” Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Robson said in a statement.
“Please make sure you take an extra second to make sure doors or windows are locked, and by working together, we can tackle this type of criminality.”
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.