West Lothian crime: Police hunt after spate of break-ins and car thefts which officers believe are linked

Appeal for information by officers

Police are on the hunt for serial thieves after a spate of house break-ins and car thefts in West Lothian which they believe are linked.

The first incident happened at around 8pm on Wednesday, December 28, when a window at a property in Inchcross Park, Bathgate was broken. The keys for a white BMW M140, registration MC05 0RD, were taken and the vehicle stolen. Men were seen in a dark coloured vehicle.

In the second incident, at around 9.10pm the same evening, two men were seen acting suspiciously in James Young Road, Bathgate. They approached the door of a property and made off when challenged.

Officers are appealing for information following a number of break-ins at properties in West Lothian and the theft of cars. Stock photo by John Devlin.

Police are now looking for two men they believe are involved in the incidents. Both are described as between 16 and 24 years old, of slim build and around 5ft 9. One was wearing light grey coloured clothing with a shiny logo on the front and lower back of his jacket, a hood, a face covering and gloves. The second was wearing dark grey clothes with a shiny logo on the chest and back shoulder of his top and gloves.Later that evening, at around 11pm, a window at a property in Boghall Terrace, Linlithgow, was broken into, with keys stolen from inside and a black Range Rover Velar, registration C11 KRD, also taken.

These incidents are also being linked to a break-in at a property in Wester Bankton, Livingston, that happened between 7.20pm on Tuesday, December 27, and 1.25am on Wednesday, December 28. Jewellery, including several watches, earrings and necklaces were stolen.

Detective Sergeant John Irvine said: “These incidents are being treated as linked and we are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious at these locations before or after they happened to get in touch. We would particularly like to speak to anyone with private CCTV or anyone driving in the vicinity with a dash-cam that might assist with our investigation.”

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers. Incident number 0699 of 28/12/22 refers to Inchcross Park, incident number 0194 of 28/12/22 to James Young Road, incident number 3729 of 28/12/22 to Boghall Terrace, and incident number 1522 of 28/12/22 to Wester Bankton.

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