MOUNTED police officers have been helping to hit back in the fight against burglaries in Bradley and Deighton.

West Yorkshire police constables Rob Patterson and Claire Schofield were out on horseback yesterday as they patrolled the beat after a string of burglaries had been reported.

The high visibility police presence in the Bradley area comes weeks after 91-year-old Elsie Byron spotted a thief sneaking out of her bedroom at her Stuart Place home.

“We have been out for about three hours in the Bradley and Deighton areas,” said Pc Schofield. “We are primarily here for the community’s reassurance in response to a high volume of burglaries.

“It is also important that people know they can talk to us. We are here to find out if there are any issues which we can help resolve.”

Pc Patterson added: “We have powers to stop and search. We carried out 10 stops and four searches yesterday.

“We asked people if they had been in trouble before and if they had then what for.

“We were also looking for suspicious activity.”

Police have the power to stop and search anyone and ask questions about what they are doing in a particular area.

An officer may also request a person to account for their possessions.

The latest patrol did not result in anything being seized.

Elsewhere in the Kirklees district, burglaries have been reported this weekend in Benomley Crescent, Huddersfield, Batley Buildings, Marsh and Moor End Road, Walpole.

Items stolen included six laptops, an ipod, sat nav and modem and a wallet containing bank cards.

An insecure Vauxhall Zafira was also stolen from Holme Valley Caravan and Camping Park, Thongsbridge.