This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6580873.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Alert and robberies may be linked Bomb scare burglaries 'planned'
(about 10 hours later)
Police are investigating whether a hoax bomb scare was created by burglars to rob several houses in east Belfast. Burglars who targeted evacuated homes during a hoax bomb alert in east Belfast had planned the break-ins, the police have said.
A number of homes in the Cumberland Road area of Dundonald were ransacked while residents were evacuated in the early hours of the morning. Eight properties in the Cumberland Road area of Dundonald were ransacked as the security forces cordoned off the area.
The houses were entered between midnight and 0100 BST after a suspicious stolen car was abandoned in the street. It followed a phone call, allegedly from dissident republicans, claiming that a 500lb car bomb had been abandoned in the street.
"A possible link to the alert is one line of enquiry," said the PSNI. Chief inspector Stephen Addley said the robbers knew what they were doing.
During the alert, Army technical experts were called at about 1000 BST on Saturday and the area was evacuated. "What it does say is that this was clearly pre-planned," he said.
The security alert was declared a hoax and when the residents returned, they realised that at least eight homes had been broken into. "We are led to believe, although our investigations are at an early stage, they knew where they were targeting, they knew the residents who were living in those properties and they also knew that the backs of those properties were exposed out into open land.
"It's natural to presume, in all probability, they knew where police would put the cordons... in Cumberland Road, Cumberland Drive."
Army technical experts were called to the scene on Saturday evening and the area was evacuated.
During a four-hour operation, two controlled explosions were carried out on a suspect car in the street. However, the alert was later declared a hoax.
When the residents returned to their homes, they realised that at least eight homes had been broken into.
The houses were entered between midnight and 0100 BST.
Jewellery, keys and other goods were stolen.Jewellery, keys and other goods were stolen.
'Left out in rain''Left out in rain'
One man, who did not want to be identified, said residents were furious that the burglars were able to break into their homes while the police were standing close by.One man, who did not want to be identified, said residents were furious that the burglars were able to break into their homes while the police were standing close by.
"We believe it was an elaborate set-up to burgle Cumberland Road," he said."We believe it was an elaborate set-up to burgle Cumberland Road," he said.
"Elderly people were left out in the rain for four hours."Elderly people were left out in the rain for four hours.
"I don't know what these people think they are doing - we are only working-class people struggling to pay mortgages."I don't know what these people think they are doing - we are only working-class people struggling to pay mortgages.
"These people come here, thinking they can just walk in, burgle people's houses and get lots of stuff.""These people come here, thinking they can just walk in, burgle people's houses and get lots of stuff."
It is understood the car had been stolen in Newcastle about an hour before it was abandoned in Cumberland Road.
Police appealed to anyone who witnessed the stolen silver Toyota Carina being abandoned in Cumberland Drive, or its occupants, to contact them.Police appealed to anyone who witnessed the stolen silver Toyota Carina being abandoned in Cumberland Drive, or its occupants, to contact them.