South Yorkshire Police have denied claims on social media that there has been a surge in crime since the flooding in Catcliffe.
Rotherham Superintendent Andy Wright said: “I want to reassure members of the public that, based on all the information we have, these rumours are simply not true and that following the floods, a high number of officers remain in the vicinity to provide support and advice.”
The police confirmed they have received just one confirmed report of theft of a handbag and iPad from a motor vehicle in Orgreave Road on Tuesday.
The goods stolen are believed to have been worth £400 in total.
SYP said no further confirmed reports of this nature have been received and that they have seen no spike in crime levels in the Catcliffe area.
Some burglar alarms have been set off in the evacuated homes, but SYP said this was due to electrical issues following the flood rather than any break-ins.
Car boots have also spontaneously opened in some cases, but South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said this can happen when flood water interferes with the electrics in vehicles.
Around 250 homes were evacuated when Storm Babet hit the small village near Rotherham last Thursday, according to the Environmental Agency.
The amount of rainfall was double the monthly average and hit the village in a period of 24-36 hours.
SYP will now carry out high-visibility patrols in Catcliffe with the aim of keeping the community safe.
They said Catcliffe residents can expect to see an increased police presence.
Chris Read, Rotherham Council Leader said: “We welcome this commitment from the police to help address concerns we have heard from residents about the threat to property in the area.
“It’s quite understandable at the moment that residents are feeling worried about their properties, and of course we all want to ensure that nothing makes this very difficult situation worse.”
Cllr Read also said the council’s operational CCTV van has been positioned in the area over the last few days and has encouraged anyone with information on criminal matters to come forward.