Thames Valley Police give advice on preventing burglaries over Christmas
Officers are helping make sure Santa is the only intruder during the festive period
The countdown to Christmas has begun, so police are reminding people not to ‘present’ opportunities to criminals and keep their homes and valuables secure.
They say the festive period often entices thieves to target houses, knowing they may be full of gifts and other goodies.
Detective Chief Inspector James Horseman, from Thames Valley Police, also highlighted that criminals may take advantage of the longer nights.
“We see seasonal trends across the force and nationally with an uplift in residential burglary around the winter period, mainly because the cover of darkness allows burglars to operate generally undetected,” he said.
Thames Valley Police have offered simple tips that people can take to ensure the security of their property and belongings over Christmas.
DCI Horseman recommended installing effective CCTV, using outside security lighting, and potentially alarm systems.
He also highlighted the importance of timer switches for lights to make homes appear occupied: “The use of timer switches will make your property less attractive to a burglar because they will think that there are people home – the majority of burglaries occur in unoccupied properties.”
Additionally, DCI Horseman suggested security marking valuables and using internal security boxes to keep items safe.
He said the police are also encouraging homeowners to join neighbourhood watch schemes or set up their own groups as another way to help deter crime.