Urgent warning to homeowners who mysteriously find Christmas gnomes in their garden – as police say there is a sinister motive behind them

• North Wales Police released an image of a festive decoration as an example
• Has this happened to you? Contact [email protected] 

Police have issued an urgent warning to homeowners who mysteriously find a ‘Christmas gnome’ in their garden. 

Detectives have been receiving reports of people in the Broughton area of Wales finding the gnomes with no explanation. 

North Wales Police released an image of a festive decoration – but warned there could be a sinister reason for it being found.

Residents were warned it could be a trick by potential burglars to see if anyone is home or not.  

A spokesperson for the Flintshire North branch of the force said: ‘We are aware of a report of individuals in the Broughton area leaving Christmas gnomes in residential front gardens. 

North Wales Police released an image of a festive decoration – but warned there could be a sinister reason for it being found

‘This type of behaviour is sometimes used as a ‘calling card’ to see if the gnome is collected by the resident.

‘If not, the property is likely to be empty and could be an easy target for burglaries. 

‘We would advise residents to be vigilant and ensure your home is secure.’

North Wales Police shared a link to various bits of information and tips for homeowners to keep their property safe and deter potential burglars. 

The force shared five top tips to abide by if you’re going to be leaving your house unattended for a few days.

These included: if you’re off on holiday and wish to post anything on social media, make sure your posts aren’t public and that they’re only seen by your friends.

They also advised people to leave lights and a radio on a timer to make the property appear occupied.

Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property or join a Neighbourhood or resident Watch Scheme, the tips said. 

Also you should consider asking neighbours to close curtains after dark and to park on your drive. 

Remember to cancel newspaper and milk deliveries, the force said. 

As part of the appeal, the local policing team urged anyone who witnesses anything suspicious to contact the force via their website or through 101.

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