Lock Up and Light Up This Winter
Officers are reminding people to ensure their homes look occupied during the darker nights.
The force traditionally sees seasonal rises in burglaries around this time peaking through December and January.
The winter months make it easier for burglars to go unnoticed and also makes unoccupied homes easier to spot. The force is encouraging residents to review their home security and take a few simple and inexpensive precaution.
One of the easiest things you can do is to leave a light on when you go out/away or use an automatic light timer to switch lamps on in your home to give the appearance you are home.
Other things you can do to make your home more secure includes:
- Keep doors and windows locked at all times and remove keys from the lock
- Keep valuables, bags, cash and keys out of sight in a safe place
- Don’t keep large quantities of cash and jewellery in your home
- Avoid leaving packaging from expensive items outside your house.
- If you have a house alarm make sure you use it before leaving the house
- Check outdoor security lighting is in full working order
- Prevent easy access to the back and sides of your home with locked gates and fencing
- Don’t advertise you’re going away on social media
- Ask a neighbour or relative to collect post and open/close curtains while you’re away
For more information on how to protect your home visit: www.leics.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/residential-burglary/.
If you spot anyone acting suspiciously, report this to us online via www.leics.police.uk/report-online or by calling 101.
Always call 999 if you witness a crime in progress.
Nature Note – October 2020
