Daylight burglaries are occurring in the local area…

Many people don’t pay as much attention to their home’s security during the daylight hours. This is because people tend to feel safer when not surrounded by darkness. However, when looking at statistics burglaries are just as likely to occur during the day.

A burglary at a property can occur at anytime day or night, in fact many burglaries occur during the day, as offenders tend to blend in better with the surroundings and are able to offer more plausible excuses should they be challenged, such as “I am lost”, “I was looking for Mr X who lives somewhere around here”, “I thought this property was for sale” and “I’ve lost my dog”, along with various other excuses that can be more easily made during the normal daylight working hours.

If your home is unoccupied during the day here are a few tips to help you to improve security:

•  ALWAYS lock your doors and windows when you leave the house, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Make sure your locks reach British Standards and are fit for purpose.
• Never assume that your home, garage, shed or studio will be safe while unlocked, even if you’re currently at home. It only takes a minute for someone to enter and take what is not theirs.
• Remove ALL tools and objects from within your garden that could be used by an offender to break into your home with.
• ALWAYS set your intruder alarm if you have one, during the day AND night. And consider installing an alarm in any outbuildings too. Battery operated alarms can be purchased from Sudbury, Hadleigh and Capel Police Stations for £8 each.
• Use lights and, especially during the day, radios on timers inside your home.
• Property mark all electrical and valuable items with a UV & permanent marker pen, which can be purchased from the above stations for £1 each, or use a property marking solution like Smartwater or SelectaDNA.
• Register any items that have serial numbers on the UK property database www.immobilise.com for free, including any bicycles and power tools.
• Ensure your perimeters are secure with fencing or appropriate hedging and lock sidegates at all times with a padlock or mortice lock.
• IF YOU REMEMBER JUST ONE THING… Remember to store ALL important valuables including jewellery and cash out of sight and if possible in a hidden wall or floor safe. The first place an offender will look is in the top drawer of your dresser unit, or in the back of a wardrobe. DON’T MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM.

Finally we are asking for residents to help to be our eyes and ears in the community. If you see something suspicious, or out of the ordinary then please report it and whenever possible report it straight away by calling 101. Please do not leave it to someone else, we would sooner have a number of calls on the same suspicious person, than none at all.

Please remember that where you believe a crime is about to be or is in the progress or lives are threatened call 999.