BRIGG FOLK NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR SNEAK-IN THIEVES

With warmer weather approaching, North Lincolnshire Council’s Safer Neighbourhoods team is reminding homeowners to protect their property  to prevent sneak-in burglaries. 
Between June 2014 and May 2015, 28 per cent of domestic burglaries across North Lincolnshire were sneak-ins, mostly as a result of someone leaving a window or door open or unlocked.
Safer Neighbourhoods is urging people not to become a victim by following some basic crime prevention advice:

• Keep your doors and windows locked even when you’re in. Burglars will try doors to find one that is unlocked. 
• Try to change your habit if you don’t lock your door behind you. 
• Ensure your house is securely locked even whilst doing other activities, such as gardening or having a BBQ. 
• Always remember to switch on your burglar alarm if you have one. 
• Door chimes and alarms will defer a burglar from entering your property. 
• Hide it
• Keep valuables out of view. Burglars will look through your windows to see if anything is worth stealing. 
• If you have a garage, use it to store your car. Burglars will look at your car to judge whether to break in the house for the keys or whether your house might contain certain items they would want to steal. 
• Cancel the milk and newspapers when you go on holiday and find a trusted neighbour, friend or relative to move your post and open and close blinds and curtains. 
• Don’t leave garden tools or furniture outside, as they can be used by burglars to enter your property. 
• Dispose of packaging for expensive items properly; don’t advertise what is in your house. 
• Being a victim of sneak-in burglaries can have both emotional and financial effects. High value goods are costly to replace if stolen, and items such as phones and cameras often hold information with sentimental value such as photos, which cannot be replaced. 
• Register your property on www.immobilise.com so that if it is stolen and recovered by the Police it can then be returned to you. 
• Download free tracking software onto mobile phones and laptops. 

Coun Carl Sherwood, of Brigg, Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure and Customer Services, said: “We are urging homeowners to follow these precautionary measures that will help protect them from being burgled. It will help deter thieves, and in turn reduce the overall crime rate. These simple steps will hopefully save many people the frustration and upset of being burgled, and make them feel safer in their community.”