Borough Wide Increase In Residential Burglary

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Wandsworth Police gives prevention advice to residents

Wandsworth Borough has seen an increase in residential burglaries on premises which have several flats served by one communal front door.

Suspects gain access through the communal door, either by ‘tailgating’ (following residents into the premises or accessing as residents open the door to leave) or using plastic to slip the lock.

Closing the door behind them, suspects can then force/ smash individual flat doors with relative impunity – given they are off street and out of sight.
What you can do to help -

o Use secondary communal door lock (mortice/ Chubb lock) when you pass through it. This makes it significantly harder for the suspects to force the lock using body weight/ pressure or using plastic tools to breach single Yale type locks.

o Challenge strangers who gain or attempt to gain access to the premises in the manner described above.

o Ensure you do not allow access to visitors via the intercom systems – unless you are positive you know who the visitor is.

Chief Inspector Harding said:
‘The vast majority of burglars are opportunists that find weaknesses in building security that enable them to commit their offences and by taking these very simply crime prevention measures may prevent yourself from becoming a victim of crime’.

If in doubt call 999 and seek police assistance.

October 11, 2010