Christmas is coming to town and so are the criminals. Don't make their job any easier. Some simple hints to make your property safer.
1. Keep trees and gifts away from windows Don’t openly display your Christmas tree and gifts in the front window so it’s easily visible from the street. It can be tempting for criminals to smash the window and grab wrapped packages.
2. Hide presents Even if you don’t have children to hide presents from, make sure criminals can’t see them through your windows and doors by hiding them in cupboards and under beds. That includes gift-wrapped presents under the tree, if you won’t be home.
3. Look lived in If you’re going away for Christmas, make the house look lived in. Ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your property, open and close curtains and put lights on. If you’re going away, ask a neighbour to park their car in your driveway to make it look like someone’s home.
4. Triple check your locks Make sure all windows and doors are firmly shut and locked when leaving home. Leaving an entry path slightly open is a temptation for a burglar.
5. Hide packaging When you take the bins out, make sure all packaging from expensive gifts is ripped up and buried under the rest of the rubbish, so criminals can’t easily see what you might have in the house.
6.Don’t run electricity cords through window cracks Burglars prefer to enter through unlocked doors or windows, so an electricity extension cord running through an open window to exterior Christmas lights can be an open invitation. Hire an electrician to install an inexpensive outside plug for outdoor lights.
7.Give a trusted neighbour a spare key Burglars know to look for the hidden door key near the front entrance. Don’t hide spare keys under rocks, in flowerpots, or above door ledges. Instead give the spare key to a trusted neighbour.
8. Be careful what you post on social media If you post on Twitter or Facebook that you’ll be away on holiday or visiting relatives over the festive period, you’ve given the green light to intruders who will know they won’t be disturbed. The same goes for posting how excited you are about expensive gifts, which could help thieves start a shopping list.
