Care homes across the Central Belt and West of Scotland have been the subject to a stream of break-ins. 

Between the 17th and 20th of June, 10 break-ins took place at premises in Lanarkshire, Glasgow and West Lothian.

Police Scotland said work is ongoing to identify the individuals and establish the full extent of what has been taken from the various properties, but the incidents are believed to be linked.

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Detective Chief Inspector Bryan Burns, from Lothians and Scottish Borders CID, said: “Those responsible for these shameful offences have targeted the possessions of elderly and vulnerable members of communities across Scotland.

“I would ask that anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity around any of the affected premises, between Wednesday and Saturday, contacts police immediately.

“Officers across the country are currently engaging with the care homes where break-ins took place to offer crime prevention advice and conduct property surveys aimed at improving the overall security in and around these premises.”

The first break-in occured at around 12.50am on Wednesday, when the Strathaven Colinsdene Nursing Home in Strathaven was broken into.

Following this incident, three further break-ins took place in Glasgow at the Greenfield Park Nursing Home, Hogganfield Loch Nursing Home and Little Sisters of the Poor Sheltered Housing Complex.

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Late on Wednesday night a further Glasgow care home was targeted, after staff at the Oakview Manor Care Home came upon a group of men entering the premises.

Additionally, in the early hours of Thursday, a break-in was discovered at the Whitehills Care Home in East Kilbride, similar to incidents at Forefaulds Nursing Home and Embrace Care Home, also in East Kilbride.

At about 2.40am on Saturday, a break-in took place within the manager’s office at Livingston Nursing Home.

Later that same morning, it was discovered that a break-in had occurred at Broxburn Nursing Home, after an office was forcibly entered.

All of these offences are believed to have been carried out by the same group.