ESSEX Police is asking people across the county to make their homes safer as the force publishes new figures showing burglary increases by 13% during winter.
The force launches its Secure. Protect. Prevent. campaign on Monday October 23 by publishing a range of crime prevention advice on social and the force website www.essex.police.uk. Surveys, videos and interactive imagery will prompt people to think about small steps they can take to better secure their homes and possessions. The campaign is timed to coincide with clocks going back at 2am on Sunday, October 29 and darker mornings and evenings quickly approaching.
On Saturday, October 28 the force begins door-to-door work in communities across Essex where officers, local authority partners and volunteers will approach residents to advise and encourage them to think about home security.
Chief Superintendent Ewen Wilson said: “This time of year is when people think about preparing their homes for colder, shorter days. We think nothing of getting central heating or roofs checked for winter and this year we’re asking people to carry out the same checks on their home security.
“Burglary increases as the days get shorter. We are working hard to investigate them and we are solving more burglaries than ever before, but we need help and the best way to prevent crime is to make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place.
“There are simple tips to deter burglars and I need people to carry out basic security checks on their homes and encourage others to do the same. This can be anything from locking doors and windows when out of the house or when going to bed, to putting lights on a timer to making it look like someone is always at home. Take a moment to look at your property from a burglar’s perspective…will they be able to easily get to the rear of your property? Have you lever locked your UPvc doors? Are windows left open? Are your car keys easy to reach through your letter box?
“All our tips can be found on www.essex.police.uk/secure and we would like as many people as possible to take a few minutes to check out our advice. Small steps really can make a big difference to your home security.”
Assistant Chief Constable Andy Prophet said: “Fewer than 1% of households in Essex are the victim of burglary each year but I’ve seen the emotional, physical and financial impact this crime has not only for victims but for neighbours and the wider community too.
“Our data shows that burglary is a complex picture in Essex. The tactics we use in places like Basildon are very different to those used in rural areas. Work that isn’t seen such as number plate recognition, gathering information about mobile phone use of suspects to place them at scenes, and covert tactics to develop intelligence are just as valuable if not more so than traditional methods.
“That is having an impact and we’ve seen not only a reduction in the volume of burglaries in areas like Basildon but also more perpetrators of these crimes being put before the courts.”
