Don T Let Thieves Steal Your Summer

Don’t let thieves Steal Your Summer

Follow these hot tips to stay safe and secure

If you are at home:-

• Shut and lock all windows when you are not using a room, at night and before leaving your home.
• Lock front and rear doors at night, or when you are out; even if it is only for a few minutes.
• When in the rear garden ensure that windows and doors to the front of the house are fully secure.
• If you want to leave windows open while you sleep, fit window restrictors so they cannot be fully opened, or make sure they are not large enough to allow access to a burglar.
• Do not leave valuables on display in reach of open windows or doors.
• Make sure your gardening equipment and tools are securely locked in a shed or garage when not being used.
• Consider fitting outside security lighting or a visible alarm to help deter burglars.
• Post-code or indelibly mark all property such as lawnmowers, bicycles, tools, televisions, laptops etc with an ultra-violet pen or forensic marking such as Selecta DNA ( or Smartwater (
• Register any property with a serial number on the National Property Register at This is a free property register which is searchable by police forces across the country and so can help to reunite property owners with their property and combat the sale of stolen property.

Going on Holiday?

If you are going away for any length of time try to make your house look like it is occupied.

• Ask a trusted neighbour or friend to open and close curtains and collect the post.
• Think about getting automatic timer switches (available from most DIY stores) to switch on your lights and/or a radio.
• Cancel milk and newspaper deliveries.
• Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property.
• Ask a neighbour if they don’t mind parking their car on your driveway
• Cut the front and back lawns before you go and trim any hedges that burglars could hide behind.
• Double check that you’ve locked all windows and doors
• If you have a burglar alarms don’t forget to set it!
• Don’t advertise that you are going away on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter
• Don’t put your home address on your luggage when you are travelling to your holiday destination. Put a piece of paper with your house number and postcode inside the case.
• Take photographs of valuables such as jewellery.
• Don't leave important documents and valuable items such as jewellery lying around. Consider leaving them with family members, storing valuable jewellery in a safe or placing it in a bank.