Burglary Crime Prevention Advice

Message from Humberside Police:

As everything is starting to go back to normal this summer, with restrictions being lifted and people taking a well-earned break after a tough year, we’d like to remind people of the importance of making sure your home is secure whether you are staying at home or planning to leave it unoccupied.

Help us make it tougher for thieves: lock all of your doors and windows even when you are at home.

Detective Inspector Simon Vickers says: “Around a third of all burglaries are carried out by opportunist thieves getting in through an open window or door.

“We often see an increase in ‘sneak in’ burglaries in the summer months, but there are things that you can do yourself that will make it hard for burglars to get access to your property in the first place.”

Use some crime prevention methods for when you leave your home:

• Lock all windows and doors
• Make sure outbuildings are secured and locked properly and anything of value inside is secured by strong/quality locks – For example, if you have an expensive bike in the shed, make sure you spend extra money on keeping it safe!
• Lock any gates to your address to prevent easy access
• Check the perimeter of the house to make sure there is no way to climb in
• Consider fitting deterrents in the garden, like movement sensor floodlights
• Don’t leave your house looking unoccupied – leave inside lights on timers so your house looks lived in, cut the grass before you go, etc.
• Do not advertise that you are going away on social media
• Consider taking pictures of any expensive items and mark items with your postcode using a UV pen – lock all valuable items away if at all possible
• If you have a garage, use it to keep your car out of sight, and make sure your car is locked even if it is out of sight
• Ask neighbours to keep an eye on your home and even park on your drive while you’re away

DI Vickers added: “We want to try and prevent anyone from having to go through this in the first place and ask for people to take these prevention measures on board. We know how devastating a burglary is for people and we will be there for you if you become a victim and investigate the crime.

“Any information that is given to us is acted on, so if you suspect anyone is handling stolen goods, please let us know.

“By using these crime prevention methods, you can also help out older relatives and your neighbours to make sure their homes are secured too.

“If you do see anything or have any information about people involved in burglaries and thefts, you can report any suspicious activity to our non-emergency 101 number, or if you see a crime in progress, always call 999.

“If you don’t want to talk to the police, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where you can give information anonymously.”

For more advice on how to protect your home, go to our website: https://www.humberside.police.uk/protect-your-home