The St. David’s Day special
gair rhydd Monday February 28 2011 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 944
Easy Targets Miranda Atty and Bianca London Students are living in fear of robbery as their homes are easy targets for crime, a gair rhydd investigation has discovered. After the investigation into crime hot spots in Cathays (issue 942) students reported another burglary, which took place in the early hours of Friday February 18. A house on Thesiger Street was broken into between 11pm and 1.30am, while all four residents were absent from the house. The incident took place two weeks after the house next door was burgled. The offenders smashed through the rear bathroom window using a crowbar. Wet glove marks were found throughout the property. The downstairs bedroom was securely locked but two of the upstairs
bedrooms were left open. The vandals stole four laptops, an iPod, two purses and two large kit bags. Resident Celia Welham told gair rhydd: “I was the first to return home and nothing looked suspicious until I noticed that my furniture had been disturbed and my laptop stolen. I then came downstairs and saw the broken window. “It’s worrying to know how easy it is to gain access to the houses in Cathays, even from the rear gardens.” In one of the student’s bedrooms the wardrobe and underwear drawer had been rifled through and left in disarray. Gem Matthewman said of the incident: “I felt violated that they had rummaged through my personal belongings. “The scariest part is they still managed to get into my room even though it was locked. “I feel like I am never safe and I’m
worried they will come back again.” Recalling the event, resident Sophie Thomas said: “It is a horrible feeling knowing that someone has been in your home, you really don’t know how it feels until it happens to you. “It has made us all question whether we have been watched, especially considering the fact that it happened after a house party where we all left in taxis at the same time and we are now wondering whether the party event on Facebook is to blame.” Five days passed in which the house remained unsecured before the landlord replaced the broken glass in the bathroom window. Cathays police have warned residents in the student area that they are leaving their valuables, particularly wallets, laptops and TVs, in a vulnerable position for Cardiff ’s criminals. Cathays Station Inspector, DI Johnston, said: “A high number of crimes take place in Cathays and Roath be-
cause students can be careless with securing their homes.” The area is popular with burglars because it is densely populated with multi-occupancy student homes that guarantee the opportunity of repeat steals for offenders. The recent spate of burglaries has led one student to no longer sleep in her bedroom and another to take a lacrosse stick with her to bed. Local police sources have commented on the burglary rate in the area, saying that on average more than one property is burgled every day. In light of this, DI Johnston reiterated basic safety procedures stating: “Students should lock their doors whenever they leave their property and ensure that valuables are not left on show for prying criminals.” For anyone with information on any burglaries should call Cathays CID on 029 20222111.