Police are again reminding Canberra residents of the need to properly secure their homes and property, particularly at night, following rising rates of property crime in and around the suburbs of Narrabundah, Griffith and Kingston.
These crimes include burglaries, attempted stolen motor vehicles and property theft, and are often opportunistic in nature, with offenders choosing targets with the least amount of security or the lowest chance of being detected.
Superintendent Kate Buggy from ACTP’s Crime Prevention Team today urged the community to apply simple household security practices to reduce their chances of being targeted.
“Remember to always secure your front door, even during the day, and don’t leave car keys, wallets and other valuables in plain view. Sometimes it only takes a few seconds for a brazen thief to enter through an unsecured door or window, steal something and leave,” Supt Buggy said.
“Also never leave a spare key outside your home, as thieves know all the usual hiding places including under door mats and pot plants. Instead, leave a spare key with a family member, trusted friend or neighbour.”
Police are also strongly encouraging people to take precautions to secure their property at night, with some burglaries occurring while residents are at home asleep.
“While we appreciate that the hot weather makes home security problematic, we are advising people not to leave their windows and doors open at night, unless there are adequate security screens in place,” Supt Buggy said.
“We are also encouraging the community to consider installing a visible alarm system which covers all external doors and windows, or movement-activated sensor lights. These are simple deterrent items which discourage intrusion.”
“Your security and safety at home should be your priority, and you should take all precautions to protect your property.”
The community are also asked to proactively help protect their neighbourhood, by reporting any suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood to police.
“Be alert and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in your area, and also secure your property when leaving and at night. If you suspect that a crime is being committed near where you live, contact Police Operations on 131 444”, Supt Buggy said.
“We are also recommending that the community actively start Neighbourhood Watch programs in their areas if they don’t currently exist. These programs allow the community and police to work closely together to ensure the protection of property and personal safety.”
If you have any information which may help police to investigate a crime that has occurred in your community, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the website at www.act.crimestoppers.com.au. For further information on Neighbourhood Watch programs or tips on securing your property visit the AFP website at www.afp.gov.au/act/crime_prevention.html