'How a terrifying childhood memory changed me'

It all started with a childhood memory that haunts him to this day. Chief Supt Chris Foster was a young boy when he came back from a family holiday and saw his home had been broken into.

"I remember as an eight-year-old being burgled", he recalled. "It was my family home in Barnsley. We had gone camping for a weekend and we had had a new window frame put in the back of the house - so there was putty and glass and it was wooden. There was a wooden window sill that had not been painted.

"We walked into the house and there were bits and bobs scattered all over it. I distinctly recall this boot print on the window sill. It was a signal that someone had been in the house.

"They had stolen my mum's engagement ring. They had gone through all the bedrooms and that night I could not sleep."

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The moment changed Chris' outlook and made him feel insecure in his own home.

"I had to put a rolling pin under my bed which gave some semblance of comfort and protection", he said. "But still to this day I remember that feeling of walking in and thinking someone has been in my bedroom."

His anger at the violation is still visceral. And now, it is the feeling that spurs him on to protect others in their own homes.

The top cop at Greater Manchester police has helped launch an anti-burglary initiative to cut down on the amount of break-ins in the area. The force has launched Operation Castle.

The message behind the name is simple - "A castle is supposed to be your safe place, your home", he said. The force are focused on ensuring people's homes are kept secure.

The Chief Supt. says he has been tasked with implementing a "cultural change" demanded by GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson in the way burglary is investigated and victims supported in the region.

It means more robust investigations, an authentic empathy with victims, and the use of psychology.

The results are impressive. In 2020 there were 21,875 burglaries in Greater Manchester. So far this year there have been 11,236. The launching of Operation Castle in July 2021 has resulted in higher detection rates and more arrests.

But it is making the rank and file officers realise the long lasting impact that burglary can have on people which has given the force's operation momentum.

"There is more focus now on burglary. We did some work with victims where they came to talk to us about how we had responded to burglaries. The impact on some of them as a result of being burgled was horrendous. We saw people who moved houses because they had been burgled. You talk about impactive crimes. I think it is up there with sexual offences", Chief Supt Foster said.

"We need to make sure we put a quality investigation together and file to charge a person and send them to court. Sentencing is out of our remit but we can have discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service and influence them perhaps.

"I know the Chief Constable has done that in a lot of cases with the lead at the CPS that we need to work together better. We are arresting a lot of people - the number arrested for burglary has shot up massively. We need to answer the 999 call quickly and attend promptly. The culture has changed. It gives closure to victims if they know someone has been arrested, put before the courts and convicted."

Chief Supt Foster insists the police mindset of 'it's a burglary, what chance of you got of detecting it' has gone.

"How do you know unless you get out there and investigate?", he said.

"The Chief Constable has said where someone has come into your house and committed a burglary we will investigate every case. It is the right thing to do."

Overall burglary crime in Greater Manchester has seen a reduction of 31.6% between 2021-22 and 2023-24, with 7,382 fewer crimes.

Business and community burglary has seen a decrease of 28 percent, from 5,478 in 2021-22 to 3,942 in 2023-24. Residential burglary crime has seen a decrease of 32.7%, with 5,846 fewer crimes recorded between October '23 and September '24 compared to October '21 - September '22.

The proportion of arrests from recorded crimes has increased from 12.8 percent in 2022-23 to 14.2 in 2023-24. Over the same period the number of burglaries solved in the business community has increased from 6.9 percent to 16.8, and for residential burglary has increased from 4.8 percent to 9.9. The turnaround is a major one considering four years ago about one per cent of burglaries were solved.

Chief Supt Foster said: "We start off with preventative messaging for example as the darker nights start making sure people don't leave doors open, and alerting students coming back for the new term - they often live with several other students and can be a target."

Officers visit University campuses and stage crime-prevention stalls at freshers week.

Other messages to prevent break-ins are issued at Christmas time about the risk of leaving presents on show in homes or vehicles. Chief Supt Foster said: "We had a spike in family gold burglaries with Asian families being targeted. We can tie that down to a specific time of the year which is traditionally the wedding season - and get messages out in advance."

The force also issues postcode specific warnings and advice to areas where there have been a spate of burglaries.

GMP has also adapted the "nudge theory" first employed at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. "The airport spent thousands of pounds cleaning the floors of the men's urinals and thought how can we cut costs and make a more accurate aim for men. So they got the transfer of a fly in the bottom of the urinal - so typically males aimed at it and it became a more accurate shot. It cut their cleaning bills massively.

"We then spoke to Jason Roach, a Huddersfield University professor and did some work with him as to how nudge theory can be used to convince someone to do something rather than to tell them that they are doing something wrong. Rather than victim blaming we needed a way of persuading people to do something different.

"So, for example, with the student issue, rather than going round and saying 'you're rubbish you lot, there's six of you living together, you leave your doors open and you don't know whose coming in or out'. If there had been a burglary you ask 'do you close your door when you go out, do you make sure it is locked'. A slight nuance in approach to nudging people rather than victim blaming is better."

He added: "There is repeat or near repeat victimisation where people are more likely to get burgled six to eight weeks after they have been burgled. You would think the burglar would keep away as there might be an increased presence there. But it is down to optimal foraging theory, the burglars know the area, they know where they are going, they know it is a soft spot, and what they will get when they break-in. Also if you live near someone who has been burgled you are more likely to be burgled."

Officers sent to the aftermath of burglaries are now given a research-based pack. "A lot of the stuff we were doing was well intentioned but a blanket approach to it. We needed to be a bit more sophisticated to improve the service for our victims."

Packs include house to house enquiry records - a nudge to the officer - that they need to knock on doors seeking witnesses and CCTV. A home security check list is filled in by victim's which gives them a score which helps identify weak spots in the defence of their property. In addition is a burglary standards of investigation leaflet for officers to adhere to.

A few days after a burglary a PCSO will attend. "We do something called cocooning - seeing what else we can do for the victim and neighbours. Can we assist for example in getting doors and windows replaced if it is a local authority or housing association property - if it isn't can we provide kit like window alarms and timers for putting on lights. But there has to be sophistication around that - we would ask does if a light downstairs comes on every night you are away for two weeks or does it come on in the bathroom at 3am then go off after a minute - it has to be subtle to give the impression someone is in the property."

Hotspot patrolling means officers now return to an area where a property has been burgled weeks later to ensure neighbours are aware of a potential second strike by criminals.

Greater Manchester Police can be contacted via gmp.police.uk or 101. In an emergency, always dial 999. Information about crime can also be shared anonymously via the independent charity – Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.