With the Summer making a belated appearance, it seems like it will be a barbecue weekend – but let’s not get scorched by burglars advises Avon and Somerset Police.
Opportunist thieves can take advantage when we leave our doors and windows open in hot weather. Leaving unattended windows and doors open could let in more than just a breeze.
More than a third of all burglaries take place at homes where doors and windows have been left unlocked. A house which doesn’t have easy access is more likely to deter a thief.
If you are out in the garden enjoying a barbecue, gardening or playing with the kids, remember to lock unattended windows and doors and put bags, keys, mobiles and valuables out of sight and out of reach of cat flaps and letter boxes.
A passing thief who sees an open window and a purse or keys to the car on the drive could easily slip in unnoticed, take your belongings and be gone before you’ve even come back into your house and realised what happened.
Keep your home safe:
- Always secure windows and doors, especially at night
- Keep small, high-value items like your car keys, mobile phone, wallet, handbag and jewellery out of sight, and ensure they can not be seen through cat flaps and letter boxes
- Report anyone behaving suspiciously behaviour immediately through a 999 call. Offenders often check out a number of properties before finding a vulnerable home.
- Keep photos of your jewellery, take a note of serial numbers and mark your property with a forensic code liquid, like SmartWater. For further information please visit www.smartwater.com
- Mark your property with your postcode with an ultraviolet pen and register it property on www.immobilise.com
- Install low-energy motion sensor outdoor lights at the front and rear of your house.
- Prickly or thorny plants can protect the perimeters of your garden and form a barrier around drainpipes or beneath windows making entry more difficult.
There’s more home security advice on the police website; www.avonandsomerset.police.uk.
