Thamesfield police are warning residents in Dryad Street, Felsham Road and Bangalore Street about a specific burglar tactic: placing locksmith-branded stickers on front doors and door frames, then returning to check whether the sticker has been moved. If it hasn’t, the burglar concludes the property is unoccupied.
No burglaries have been confirmed in these three streets yet. About two weeks ago, however, several attempted burglaries were reported nearby in Felsham Road and Putney Bridge Road.
The tactic is not new. Wandsworth Council issued an almost identical warning in 2013, when gangs were placing small “24/7 locksmith” stickers (printed with a fake phone number) on doors and frames across the borough, and the method has resurfaced periodically since. The visit also serves a second purpose: getting close enough to a door to assess the quality of the locks, while the sticker provides cover for being there. An undisturbed sticker on a return visit then confirms the property is unoccupied or unattended. Police have not confirmed whether the current Thamesfield stickers carry the same branding.
PC Damian Catherall of Thamesfield’s Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) issued the warning on Saturday 3 May. The same day, PCSO Eva Knedlova flagged a separate issue: the Thamesfield SNT landline has been removed. Officers now contact residents from work mobile numbers beginning 776060. If you receive a call from an unrecognised number claiming to be police, ask for the officer’s shoulder number or a CAD/CONNECT reference number and verify it with 101.
Check your front door and door frame for any stickers you did not put there, and remove them. The Met also advises:
- Double-lock doors when leaving.
- Do not leave keys near doors, in locks, or visible through letter boxes.
- Remove or secure garden furniture that could be used to climb into your property.
- Mark valuables.
- Report suspicious activity to 101, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
To receive future alerts directly from Thamesfield SNT, register at metengage.co.uk and search for Thamesfield. Earlier this month, police issued a similar advisory for residents in West Putney.
