News in Brief

1. .............................................................................................. Detectives investigating the murder of a woman are trying to find out exactly how and when she died. They are also trying to confirm the identity of the body, which was found two days ago by a man walking his dogs. Police are examining the crime scene for clues, but as yet have no leads.
2. .............................................................................................. Police in one UK town have arrested more shoplifters in a week than they would usually arrest in a year. A recent crackdown has seen more than 250 people caught stealing from shops. The operation lasted six days and involved more than 30 undercover and uniformed officers.
3. .............................................................................................. A thief who has admitted to breaking into more than 500 homes is the latest weapon in the fight against crime. ‘Bob’, who is in his forties, has spent more than ten years in jail for various crimes. However, he now works with the police helping them to give advice to homeowners on how to stop potential burglars.
4. .............................................................................................. A 55-year-old man has been charged after trying to strangle a 22-year-old woman on New Year’s Eve. The man was kept in custody and will appear in court tomorrow. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which took place just after midnight outside the local library.
5. .............................................................................................. A 19-year-old woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for smuggling. The woman was returning from a holiday when she was stopped by customs officers as she walked through Gatwick Airport. The officials seized drugs worth nearly £100,000.