Crime Prevention
The council’s community safety team and priority intervention officers are now two months into their campaign aimed at encouraging Barnet residents to keep their homes safe from burglars during the winter, a traditional peak for burglary offences.
Under the tagline ‘Don’t advertise your home to burglars', the campaign to date has included posters showing a house lit up with neon signs highlighting the various dangers of an unsecured property at Underground stations, bus shelters and on-street locations.
So far the Councils PIT officers in partnership with police Safer Neighbourhoods Team have done house to house audits of approximately 6000 homes in 70 of our worst affected streets, identifying potential opportunities for burglars and handing out relevant crime prevention advice and timer switches. One of the key messages throughout has been that at this time of year burglaries most frequently take place during late afternoon and early evening, before residents return from work. Using a timer switch on a light or radio can give the impression that someone is in the house even when they are not.
The campaign is set to run until January and in the lead up to Christmas there is currently a renewed push when people may be buying expensive presents and leaving evidence of them in a stack of empty boxes outside and/or going out to parties and leaving their home unsecured and clearly unoccupied.
How to keep intruders out
- shut and lock all windows and doors, even if you are only going out for a short while
- when you go out, make sure your home looks occupied by using a timer switch on lights and radios
- do not hide keys outside your home or leave them in a visible place near windows and doors
- make sure your doors are secure. Check the frames, hinges and glass panels as most thieves will target your home through a door
- fit a chain on your door or a door viewer. Do not open your door if you do not know who it is
- make sure expensive items like televisions and stereos cannot be seen from outside
- always close your communal door and never let anyone in that you do not know
- use a UV pen to mark your property with your postcode and house number. This will deter thieves as it makes it harder to sell on stolen goods
- hide or lock away all passports and official documents
- get a burglar alarm, visible alarms make burglars think twice
- if you have a shed, make sure it is locked securely and keep all tools out of sight. Lock ladders away so they cannot be used by burglars to access your property
- if you see anything suspicious, be a good neighbour and report it to the police
- be aware of bogus callers. If you are unsure about the person at the door do not let them in
- do not buy goods you think may have been stolen. If burglars can't sell goods on they are less likely to steal
- If you have just moved into a new home, think about changing the door locks. You never know who may still have a key
Defending your home
Homes with good security are less likely to be burgled. Apart from making sure all windows and doors are locked, fit a visible alarm and use timers for lights and radios when you are out. The following advice will also keep burglars out:
- deadlocks can make it harder for burglars to get out with your property if they got in through a window
- window locks deter burglars because if a theif has to smash glass they will leave forensic evidence and draw attention to themselves
- security lighting is a good deterrent. Place the lighting near entry points so not to disturb your neighbours
- protect your property with good fencing. Fences at the back of your house may make the area more secure, but make sure solid fencing does not make it easy for a burglar to hide. Instead, chain-link fencing or trellises with prickly shrubs are a good idea
- if you have been burgled before there is a possibility the burglar will return. Thieves commonly return to steal what they missed or the items you have replaced
- be very careful at Christmas time, burglars know there are presents around
Please be ware that Police crime prevention officers can visit you home and suggest security improvements.
For More Information
To find out more about the campaign contact Howard Pothecary, the council's Crime Intelligence Analyst, on Tel: 020 8359 7788.
For more information please see further crime prevention advice on:
www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/burglary.htm or
www.direct.gov.uk/letskeepcrimedown
Useful Contact
Barnet Police Crime Prevention Officer:
Crime prevention advice and surveys for commercial properties
Tel: 0208 733 5246
For all other Crime Prevention Advice contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email this pageLast modified by: Cory Sunderland on 13/07/2011