By Inspector Maxine Cilia
New Year Resolutions
Happy New year to everyone. Well it is always the same, we make new resolutions only to break them a few days after the new year. But how about changing some simple habits that will make your proper-ties safer. Make a new year’s resolution to review your security. Take a walk around your property and consider the follow-ing; Are your back fences and side gates secure? If not think about replacing them or planting shrubs that are natural defenc-es. If your side gates can easily be un-locked think about replacing the lock. So many of our burglaries are from burglars who access the rear of the property via the side gates. Take a look at your sheds and garages. Especially if you keep expensive items in them. Consider new locks, shed alarms recording cameras either on door-bells or PIR cameras. Garages can be fit-ted with door stop that prevent them being forced open from the bottom. If you have a front door that needs double locking please do that as a habit. There are so many good quality inexpensive things to consider; light timers, removing bins so they cannot be used to climb over gates and ensuring that they are brought in dur-ing the day.
Remember that if you have received love-ly presents for Christmas consider taking photos of them and putting them onto Im-mobilise https://www.immobilise.com/ and for bikes we can get them registered on Bike Register. To do this contact us to speak to one of the local PCSOs and they can visit and deliver the stickers and take details.
The best thing you can do to protect yours and everyone else’s property is to consider joining Neighbourhood Watch where you will be updated with recent crimes and crime prevention advice and the reassur-ance that you are part of a network of extra eyes and ears. This is the link to find out your local watch details https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/ .
As part of the review please make a habit of removing expensive items from your vehicle and checking they are locked before you leave them. We have seen a spate of opportunist thieves who check door handles at night to find insecure vehicles and take small change, expensive sunglasses and anything else you care to leave.
Once again, I am looking forward to a Crime prevention filled New Year.