| While the
homeowner's away... |
By Julia Pack
|
Residents
are being advised to be conscious of
their home security when they go on
holiday.
This advice comes after a noticeable
increase in burglaries in the
South-Eastern Division, which are
occurring whilst the residents are away
from home on holiday.
As spring and summer approach, police
are taking early steps to ensure local
residents become more conscious of their
home security before the peak holiday
season arrives.
Nationally, over half of all burglaries
occur when the flat or house is empty.
The Home Office has issued a helpful
list of things to do before going away,
in order to make your home more secure:
- Make your home look like someone is
living in it. Don't close your curtains
- in daytime this shows the house is
empty. Use automatic timer-switches to
turn your lights on when it goes dark
- Cancel any milk or newspaper
deliveries
- Avoid discussing holiday plans where
strangers may hear details of your
absence from home
- Cut the lawn before you go away and
trim back any plants that burglars could
hide behind
- Uncollected mail is a sign that you
are away. The Royal Mail's 'Keepsafe'
service will keep your mail for up to
two months while you are away
- Consider leaving important documents
and valuable items with other family
members or a bank or lock them in a safe
- Do not put your home address on your
luggage when you are travelling to your
holiday destination
- If you normally leave valuable pedal
cycles or similar items in your shed,
consider putting them in the house
- Make sure that you've locked all
outside doors and windows and, if you
have a burglar alarm, make sure it is
set
- And finally, just before you set off,
it's worth spending a couple of minutes
checking that you've done all you had to
do and taken everything you need with
you - don't forget your passport and
tickets!
Insp Kevin Turner, of Southend's
Community Safety Department, said: "By
following this commonsense advice, you
will minimise the chances of being
burgled while you are away from home.
"Burglars are cowards and are looking
for an easy option - by always ensuring
your home looks occupied, you are
scaring would-be burglars away.
Therefore, it is well worth the extra
effort before you go, so you can fully
relax and enjoy your holiday.
"It's also a good idea to get help from
your neighbours. You could ask them to
collect post, sweep up leaves, mow the
lawn, open and close curtains, and so
on. They could even occasionally park
their car on your driveway - anything to
make the place look lived in. You can
repay the favour by doing the same for
them," said Insp Turner.
"Warn your neighbour not to put your
surname, address or even your house
number on your keys in case they fall
into the wrong hands.
"Let your neighbour know when you will
be away and, if you can, give them
details so that they can contact you, or
someone who can act on your behalf, in
an emergency."
And Insp Turner added: "Is there a
Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) scheme where
you live?
"Visit the website
www.southendcommunity.org.uk and check
under 'useful lists' to see if there's a
scheme running in your road. Southend
NHW runs a Good Neighbour Scheme, which
involves filling in forms with details
of your holiday for the information of
the police and NHW co-ordinator - ask
your local representative for more
details."
- To download the Home Office leaflet
Peace Of Mind While You're Away, and for
more crime prevention advice on a number
of issues, visit
www.crimereduction.gov.uk |
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