Police are investigating a series of aggravated burglaries carried out by masked men reportedly armed with crow bars, screwdrivers and sledgehammers in Newry on Friday night.
The series of incidents took place at various locations in Newry between the hours of 7pm and 10.30pm.
Police are investigating six aggravated burglaries, which are being linked.
A police spokesperson said that the first report was received around 9.10pm when “three masked men, armed with crow bars, entered a house in the Kennard Villas area, threatened the occupant and stole three handbags”.
“While conducting enquiries, officers observed damage to a door of a house in the Kennard Villas area,” they added.
“The house was empty and enquiries are ongoing to establish if anything was taken.”
“We then received a report shortly after 9.20pm that up to six masked men entered a house via a front window using a sledge hammer in the Carnagat Park area,” they continued.
“They were chased by the occupant and left in a dark coloured Volkswagen Golf.
“Shortly after 9.30pm, a report was received that a house in Beechmount Park was entered, with cash and jewellery reported missing. It is believed the house was entered sometime between 8pm and 9.10pm.
“A few minutes later, another report was received, stating that three masked men with screwdrivers pushed passed an occupant of a house in the Patrick Street area, before making off with cash and a phone,” they added.
”Around an hour later, at 10.25pm, we received a sixth report of a burglary of a house in the Carnagat Park area sometime between 7.30pm and 10.15pm.”
