During the housebreakings, criminals steal electrical appliances such as plasma televisions and laptops, as well as gardening tools.
The police advise the community to:
– lock all outside doors and windows before leaving the house or going to bed. Even if it is for a short time, lock your doors.
– Leave lights on when you go out if you are going to be away for a length of time.
– Keep the garage door closed and locked.
– Do not allow daily deliveries of mail or newspapers while you are away.
– Dispose of any packaging of electrical appliances you bought and place them in a black refuse bag to avoid showing criminals what appliance you have in your house.
– Check your locks on doors or windows and replace them with a secure device if necessary.
– Always lock your garden sheds and garages.
– Use curtains on garage and basement windows.
– When moving into a new home, have all locks changed.
Other precautions you should take are:
– Never leave keys under doormats, flowerpots, mailboxes or other secret hiding places, burglars know where to look for hidden keys.
– Keep a detailed inventory of your valuable possessions, including a description of the items, date of purchase and original value, serial numbers etc. Keep a copy in a safe place away from home, this is a good precaution in case of fires or other disasters.
– Make a photographic or video record of valuable objects, heirlooms and antiques. Your insurance company can provide assistance in making and keeping your inventory.
– Trim the trees around your home to reduce cover for burglars.
– Be a good neighbour.
If you notice anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call the police immediately.
Join a neighborhood watch group.
They help in creating a good relationship with neighbours and reduce risk of burglary.
Consider installing a burglar alarm system.
Also read – 13 tips to help prevent housebreakings
