Crime is Heating Up
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Remember insurance doesn’t often pay out on unlocked property. So make sure all of your property is securely locked and your belongings inside. Summer time is especially busy for ‘crooks’. Always have house doors and windows locked but only use deadlocks when you aren’t in the house. Garages and sheds need to be locked at all times.
You can be pro-active and implement simple safeguards to avoid opportunistic thefts. These thieves prefer items that are easy to carry and or are easiest to part with for cash.
Some simple tips for keeping your property safe:
• Don’t let your front fence block a clear view of your front garden.
• Keep gardens and trees trimmed and tidy so that there is no hiding places for thieves.
• Do not leave tools or hoses outside.
• Use a good quality security screen door, that way you can still let a breeze through.
• Know your neighbours and their habits and they will know yours. They may notice anything unusual going on and vice versa.
• Start or join a neighbourhood watch scheme in your community.
• If you own a dog put up a ‘Beware of Dog’ sign to act as a strong deterrent.
• Install Sensor lighting.
• Install an alarm system.
• Use a safe for your valuables.
• Use an ultra violet marker or engraver to mark your property.
• Take pictures of your belongings and keep a record in a safe place.
• Have a secure place for spare keys.
• Note details of door-to-door sales people.
• Make sure an empty home appears to be occupied.
• Don’t leave bins out when you are away.
• Stop newspaper and mail delivery or ask a neighbour to collect it for you.
You can protect your car from being broken into or stolen by making it less inviting for criminals by:
• Don’t leave anything in your car.
• Anything with your address on it should be with you at all times ie; driver’s license, car registration documents.
• Hide or take GPS and clean the suction mark.
• If you have a garage, use it and lock it.
• If you don’t have a garage, park in the driveway if possible. But no matter where you park it make sure it is in a well-lit area.
• Have a car alarm
• Use anti-theft screws or pop-rivets for number plates.
• Use good quality locks for bicycles.
For people that own a business, besides the obvious of security systems and or companies, here are some ways you can do it yourself to help protect your livelihood from shoplifting, burglaries and break and enters:
• Have good lighting.
• Make sure you have an uncluttered store layout.
• Aisles should be exposed and mirrored.
• Minimise entries and exits.
• Take notice of ‘skittish’ behaviour.
• Lock all doors that aren’t part of your ‘showroom’.
• A staff member should, at all times, be near the cash register.
• Keep track of and watch everything that goes in and out of the changing rooms.
• Make it known to all customers that the shops policy is for a staff member to check all bags before leaving the shop.
• Keep small and or expensive items either locked in glass cabinets or behind counters.