Students 'living in fear' after burglaries at Polhill campus.

Students say they fear for their safety following a number of burglaries at the University of Bedfordshire.

Beds Police are currently investigating break-ins at the Polhill Avenue campus halls of residence in Bedford, which took place over the Christmas break.

But undergraduates are worried about their safety as they believe master keys were used to gain access to their rooms – and, because the university has not changed the locks, the culprit could strike again.

Dawn Vidican, 33, a third-year education studies student, had her room broken into.

She said: "The master keys were used in many cases, we're all concerned about safety and some of the girls are having trouble sleeping.

"Many of them are only 19 or 20 years old and have started to have nightmares.

"Three days after the burglaries the university had not changed the locks or the codes to the doors and they have still not changed the locks now.

"They did not even tell some of the girls there had been a burglary over Christmas."

A spokesman for Beds Police confirmed they had received reports of burglaries at the university halls and that officers believed keys may have been involved.

A spokesman for the university said: "There have been a small number of burglaries at the Bedford campus which the police are currently investigating.

"The university is cooperating fully with these investigations.
"We work very closely with Bedfordshire Police whose community support officers hold regular surgeries for students to answer questions and provide crime prevention and safety advice."

The university did not wish to comment on whether keys had been used in the burglaries.