Police are reminding people in the Burnham-On-Sea area of some simple crime prevention tips to help ensure they have a crime-free Christmas.
Before heading off to visit relatives and friends, police are encouraging residents to take a moment to make sure their homes are safe and secure to avoid opportunistic burglars.
Tony Alderman from the force’s Community Safety and Crime Reduction department, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “If you plan to go away for a winter break, ensure your home is left secure, windows and doors are locked and alarms set. It sounds simple, but one-in-four home burglaries occur after the householder fails to secure their home.”
“Consider using timer settings to operate lights and a radio so that would-be burglars believe the house is occupied. If you have them, make sure any PIR motion sensor outdoor lights are also working.”
“I would also suggest you make sure ladders and tools are out of sight and secured – they could help an opportunist burglar gain entry to your property and not to leave presents under the tree, especially if curtains are left open and lights left on. This is a big temptation to the opportunist burglar.”
“If you have a trusted neighbour, let them know you are going away and ask if they can come and draw the curtains and keep an eye of the property.”
“Call the police on the 999 number if you see anyone acting suspiciously in your street, especially if they are hanging around a house which you know is empty.”
“After Christmas, ensure packaging– especially boxes for expensive electronic gifts – are not left out for refuse collectors to act as an ‘advert’ for would-be criminals. Boxes should be broken down and bagged and receipts shredded before being disposed of.”
