The crime prevention column with Humberside Police: Tips to secure your home in the battle against burglars

Humberside Police is urging people to remain vigilant to keep their homes and possessions protected against potential burglaries.

In many residential burglaries, the doors or windows have been left either open or unlocked.

Sadly, there are opportunistic criminals who take full advantage in these moments.

With the dark nights and mornings, and as Winter continues, it’s important to take the appropriate steps to securing your home as best as possible.

○ Make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked when you’re not in the room.

○ Consider investing in a burglar alarm or security lighting. Both can be a great deterrent for both your home and outbuildings.

○ Never leave anything of value on show, this may tempt thieves to your property. This includes car keys.

If you conceal valuables in your home, avoid obvious hiding places such as your sock drawer. Burglars are wise to these tricks.

If you are going to be away from your home for a long period of time, including going on holiday, consider installing a light on a timer switch which comes on in the evening.

It’s wise to only tell family and immediate friends that you are going away, and not to talk about any planned holidays on social media.

If you receive regular deliveries, these could be cancelled so they don’t build up on your doorstep – this is a giveaway sign that no one is home and hasn’t been for a while.

As many burglars and thieves are opportunistic, their motive is generally to get in, get something out of value, and then to get out as fast as possible. The steps above can help to conceal and to prevent your house being burgled by an opportunistic criminal.

Security of gardens and outbuilding buildings is often not your first thought.

However, by making a few modifications sheds and garages, along with the equipment stored in them can be made more secure.

○ Make sure sheds and garages have good quality lock and hinges.

○ Consider fitting deterrents in the garden like movement sensitive floodlights as these will leave thieves feeling exposed.

Likewise alarms on sheds and garages will deter thieves as they would not want to be spotted in out buildings taking property.

○ Garden tools, DIY equipment and leisure items such as fishing and golf equipment should be locked away in storage cupboards within outbuildings to form a second line of defence to thieves.

○ Motorbike and pedal cycles should also be locked even when they are in a shed or garage.

○ To assist the police in recovering and returning stolen property, people should register valuables onto www.Immobilise.com.

Cycles, golf and fishing equipment and tools can be easily added onto the property register and then this assists the force in identifying property as stolen/lost, bring offenders to justice and stop the items being sold via second hand stores.

The system can also allow owners to upload pictures of unique items.

Visit www.humberside.police.uk/protect-your-home for further information.

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