DETECTIVES have arrested three people as part of an investigation into the death of a woman in her 80s at a home in Poole.

Police were called at 4.52pm on Monday, December 1 by the ambulance service following the sudden death at an address in Higher Blandford Road.

When officers entered the property, they discovered signs that a burglary may have taken place.

A cordon was established while specialist teams carried out enquiries. The woman’s death is currently being treated as unexplained.

Following initial investigations, officers arrested three individuals on suspicion of murder and burglary: a 32-year-old man from Verwood, a 30-year-old man from Wimborne and a 16-year-old boy from Romsey. All three remain in custody.

Detective Inspector Shaun Inkpen, of Dorset Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the woman who sadly died. The investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding her death.

“The arrests have been made to assist officers in gathering as much information as they can, while providing legal protection to the individuals.

“As we continue our investigation, I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Higher Blandford Road, near the junction with Cotton Close, between Saturday 29 November and Monday 1 December 2025, and witnessed any suspicious activity or captured any relevant dashcam footage.

“We understand incidents such as this can cause concern for the local community. There will be an increased policing presence in the vicinity as we conduct our enquiries and officers can be approached by members of the public with information or concerns.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police online or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55250176741. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online using its website or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.