Neighbourhood Crime, such as residential burglary and vehicle crime, will always be a priority for the South West team. Neighbourhood policing is a cornerstone of crime prevention and provides crucial reassurance to communities. When officers are visible in our communities, residents feel safer and criminals cannot operate without consequence. We pursue all lines of enquiry in every burglary report we receive, and all victims receive a cocooning visit from our officers where we provide crime prevention advice and guidance to residents of burgled properties. We are working closely with teams from across the force to ensure those responsible are put before the courts.

Figures for burglaries across South Yorkshire in January and February 2025 were the lowest for those months since 2018. In February 2025, there were 458 reports of burglary across the force, almost a record low – the lowest being 454 reports in May 2020.
During March, 38 people were arrested on suspicion of burglary in Sheffield.

Our PCSOs cocoon following every burglary, offering crime prevention advice to the victim and neighbouring properties. They also patrol on foot in hotspot areas.
We are trying to promote the use of crime prevention items, and we publicise this on our social media pages and in our monthly newsletter.
We regularly undertake plain clothed operations, focusing on known offenders addresses and any hotspot areas. In the first three months of this year, the South West Neighbourhood teams have undertaken 74 stop searches, with a focus on preventing crime. Our colleagues in firearms and traffic have supported us with targeted tasking.
This work continues but we hope to see some positive prosecutions in the coming months as a result of ongoing investigations.

You can also take some extra security steps to ensure you're less of a target to these criminals. We recommend getting into an exit routine when you leave your home, following our simple and easy tips:

•Ensure all doors are locked, even if you are inside your home. Burglars will be looking for open doors as an easy opportunity to slip in
•Ensure any side gates or outer buildings, like sheds and garages, are locked and secure where possible
•Consider installing a home CCTV and monitor light system
•Install a burglar alarm, and set it when you leave your home
•Fit a steering wheel lock on your vehicles, even if they are parked on your driveway
•Ensure any spare car keys are stored in a safe place, away from your front door
•If you are planning on leaving your home to take a festive holiday, ask a neighbour or friend to check on your property and keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour

If you do see our officers about in your area, please don't be alarmed. They are there to keep you safe and listen to any concerns you may have.