POLICE have laid a “honeytrap house” to snare unsuspecting burglars.

The number of burglaries in Oxford increased by 15 per cent in the past 12 months — the first rise for four years.

Now police have kitted out an empty house designed to entice opportunist burglars then catch them in act.

Officers have been keeping to a strict level of secrecy on its location and will only admit the house is within Oxford.

The idea was developed after police began parking trap cars with cameras inside to capture car thieves. That iniative led to 13 arrests last year.

Det Chief Insp Colin Paine, of Oxford Priority Team, said: “One burglary is too many. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways of catching burglars. Forensic evidence is important, but it is not the only way of getting results. Trap houses and rooms are a great concept and we are looking forward to the first success – but it is obviously more difficult to get a house in exactly the right location than a trap car.

“Most importantly, I would encourage people to think before buying second hand property.”

Police would not comment on its location but said it was in an area of the city where break-in patterns show burglars regularly strike.

It contains items which are attractive to burglars such as laptops, phones and jewellery.

The trap house concept was developed last year and has been running for three months.

So far no burglar has broken into the property.

Police trap cars had 13 ‘hits’ last year.

The cars contain a camera which films the thief as he smashes his way in and steals what police have left behind as an enticement. There were 907 burglaries in Oxford over the past 12 months, an increase of 15 per cent on the year before.

The figure remains the second lowest of house burglaries in Oxford in the past 20 years.

There were also 851 burglaries of sheds, garages, businesses and empty homes which was a 19 per cent year on year rise.

Police admitted the trap car concept is proving more succesful because vehicles can be moved to crime hotspots.

Recently Mr Paine said crimes such as burglaries, shoplifting and car crime could increase further as the recession bites.

Homes in Iffley Road and Cowley Road have suffered the most over the past six months with 24 break-ins each, followed by Divinity Road with 18, Woodstock Road, 15, John Garne Way, 13, and Hurst Street, 12.

mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk