Following A Spate Of Burglaries Across The Borough

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Wandsworth Police give residents some prevention advice

The Borough has been suffering from a spate of burglaries. These have been as a result of inadequate locks and windows being left open on the hot summer days.
Please keep all windows closed when you are out, review your locks and keep car keys and handbags out of view and away from windows and doors.


Your Home
Home security is the best way to reduce your chances of being burgled. A lot of burglaries are spur of the moment, as a burglar may see an open window or other easy point of entry and take their chance.
Basic tips:

• When you go out, always lock the door and close the windows - even if you are just going out for a short time.

• Window locks, especially on older windows, will help stop people getting in.

• Don't leave spare keys outside, or in a garage or shed, and put car keys or garage keys out of sight in the house.

• Fitting a 'spy hole' allows you to see who is at the door. Having a door chain means you can open the door a little way to talk to them.

Now it’s summer, the days are warmer, be aware of windows left open, even if you are only in the garden .

Shed Burglary

Many people, without even realising it, keep very valuable items in their sheds and garages, but don’t pay as much attention to security as they should.

Power tools, lawnmowers, cycles, golf clubs etc are expensive to replace and are all very attractive to thieves. But, even more important, ladders and tools can assist a burglar in breaking in to your home. By leaving your shed insecure, you could be providing the burglar with the tools that he needs to get into your home.

Following these simple tips could prevent you from becoming a victim of shed burglary:

o Make sure that your shed door is locked. If you are not sure which locks to use, ask for advice at your local DIY retailer.

o Are the windows secured? Replace any cracked glass and use a window lock on opening windows.

o Property mark the items kept in your shed with your postcode and door number, so that if you are unlucky enough to have your property stolen, police will be able to return it to you quickly if it is recovered.

The same applies to garages. If your garage is built onto your house and you have a burglar alarm, consider having it extended to cover the garage. This is especially important if you have an integral door that leads from the garage into your home.

June 30, 2011