The Crime Prevention Website reported last week about a scheme that is being run by West Mercia Police to assist home owners in keeping their homes more secure, particularly in the warmer weather. The South Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership have funded cards to be printed, detailing handy tips on ensuring a property is left secure when the resident goes out. PCSOs and Police Officers are patrolling the streets of South Worcestershire and looking for any windows or doors that have been left open in the recent warm weather. On finding such a house they post one of the information cards for the occupier to read.
While the figures for burglaries are falling overall, they tend to rise as we head into the warmer months. People leave doors and windows open, sometimes leaving the house entirely unsecured while they are in the back garden. It might seem reasonably safe, but it only takes seconds for a burglar to enter an unlocked property and take anything that’s close at hand. There’s also a tendency to leave tools, garden furniture and toys in the garden instead of locking them away at night. Burglars will seize any opportunity, so the best strategy is to remove those opportunities altogether.
The Crime Prevention Website offers further advice on home security:
[quote]….If you’re in the habit of leaving windows open at the back and front of the house for a bit of a blow through breeze (when you’re at home), think about fitting a grille on the inside of the front window’s frame, or maybe even a concertina gate to give you the best of both worlds – fresh air and security! But always close and lock the windows when you go out.[/quote]
This advice applies as much in London as it does further north! We may not have a similar scheme in London, but do you think we should?
To find out more about home security and security grille installation then please do not hesitate to call us at Alexandra Locksmiths on 020 8883 1555 (Muswell Hill) or 020 8364 2000 (Enfield) and we will be more than happy to discuss your security needs.