Family's safe carried out to waiting Audi in Greenford burglary
A household on Middleton Avenue says thieves broke in while they were away and loaded a heavy safe into a car on the driveway. The family is asking neighbours for doorbell and dashcam footage.
A family in Greenford say their home was burgled while they were away and two men were filmed carrying their safe out to a car parked on the driveway.
The burglary happened at night on Saturday 10 October at a house on Middleton Avenue, a residential road in UB6 a short walk from Greenford station.
What the footage shows
Footage from the family's home security camera was shared with UB1UB2. It was filmed after dark under the streetlights and shows a dark grey Audi saloon reversed onto the driveway with its boot open.
Two men are then seen carrying a heavy safe across the drive. They appear to struggle to lift it into the boot before driving off down Middleton Avenue.
The family were away for a few days when it happened. They say the car was on false number plates.
It is not known what was in the safe or whether anything else was taken from the house. Police have not released any details about the incident, and no arrests have been reported.
Appeal for footage
The family say they have reported the burglary to the Metropolitan Police. They are asking anyone who lives on or near Middleton Avenue to check their doorbell cameras, CCTV and dashcams for the night of Saturday 10 October.
They are particularly keen to hear from anyone who saw a dark grey Audi saloon in the area that night, saw people moving a large, heavy object, or has since been offered a safe or its contents.
Anyone with information can call the police on 101, quoting CAD 7030/10102026. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If a crime is happening, call 999.
Protecting homes while away
The Metropolitan Police's crime prevention advice for householders covers securing doors and windows, using timer switches on lights so a house looks lived in, and asking a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on the property and collect post while you are away.
The force also suggests registering valuables and marking property, which can help officers return stolen items and identify where they came from. Residents can get free crime prevention advice from their local Safer Neighbourhoods team, and can sign up to Met Engage for local police alerts.
Home security cameras can capture useful images of suspects and vehicles. Police generally recommend keeping footage safe and passing it to officers instead of deleting or overwriting it.