Keep a step ahead of the 'tea leaves'

I am not sure whether I am imagining it, but as I have gone on my rounds in the Division recently there have been more reports of house burglaries than usual.

I don't know if it is a coincidence, but Suffolk Police have just sent out a round robin e mail pointing out that burglaries do tend to increase at this time of the year, and warning people to keep their doors and windows locked if they leave their homes.

Apparently as many as 29% of burglars in Suffolk get in through unlocked doors and windows!

The police are also reminding house owners to keep sheds and garages locked.  The spate of thefts from these buildings continues, and I expect become more prevalent as the weather gets warmer.

The police have issued the following advice:



LOCK
• Lock all doors and remove the keys before leaving the house.
• Keep front doors locked even when you are at home and especially if you are in the back garden.
• Close all windows fully before you leave the house, lock downstairs windows and remove the keys.
• Use window limiters to allow air in instead of keeping windows fully open, even when you’re at home.
• Install window locks on upstairs windows that can be easily accessed by a flat roof.
• Lock back gates using a sturdy lock such as a closed shackle padlock to no less than CEN 3-4 security grade or 5 lever lock.
LIGHT
• Make your home look lived in – use timer switches if you’re not home.
• ‘Dusk-to-dawn’ sensored security lighting is a cheap, low cost way of making sure the front of your home or shed/outbuilding is well-lit.
• Visible burglar alarms can make burglars think twice; get specialist advice and consult your insurance company.
• Hedging and shrubs to the front of your property should be pruned to no higher than 1m and trim trees up from the ground to 2m. This will allow a clear line of sight across your property and will stop the garden being used as a hiding place.
HIDE
• Keep your valuables, jewellery, cash, passport and deeds to your property in a safe.
• Never leave spare keys in an open place. Be aware, burglars know all the usual hiding places so never leave a spare key under the doormat or under a garden gnome.
• Keep dustbins and wheelie-bins away from fencing/gates as these can be used by thieves to climb into windows or used to escape.
• Make sure valuables are property marked. Take photographs and keep a note of any serial numbers.
• Don’t leave equipment and tools lying around that can be used by burglars to break into your home, such as hammers, shovels or gardening tools. Keep ladders locked away and out of sight.
For more security advice visit https://www.suffolk.police.uk/advice/crime-prevention-z