Dear All
We have received these recommendations from Surrey Police, which may be of interest.
HOME SECURITY
• When you go out, make sure your alarm is set and in working order. Ensure your property alarm is linked to a nominated keyholder, or Surrey Police, or a monitoring company.
• Leave lights on if you are going to be out after dusk (currently 15.55hrs) – you can buy LED plug in lights which come on & dusk and go off at dawn (Amazon)
• Consider buying a fake TV and switch it on in an upstairs room facing a plain wall – from outside it looks as though someone is at home watching TV and offers a simple yet effective
deterrent (Amazon).
• Perhaps buy a ‘dog barking alarm motion sensor’ if you don’t have a dog. It has realistic dog barking sounds and works on a motion detector and you can set the volume and distance
before the motion detector is set off (Amazon).
• Consider getting a ‘Ring doorbell’ or similar product (Ring battery or wired video doorbell – some have an indoor camera too).
• Consider getting ‘Ring’ cameras overlooking your gate at the front and rear garden – prices vary as to sophistication level.
• DO NOT leave keys in locks (windows & doors) A burglar can ‘let themselves in’ by smashing the glass & reaching through (it happens all the time).
GARDEN/PROPERTY BOUNDARY
• Consider defensive planting around your boundaries and fence lines (Pyracantha/holly/spiky plants are ideal).
• Make sure any garden furniture is put away for the winter or moved right away from your house; burglars can use these to help climb up to the first floor.
• Make sure bins are not left by a gate to aid climbing.
• Make sure all side gates and sheds are locked and preferably with a padlock.
• Gravel driveways and paths will make sure you hear anyone approaching.
• Consider installing outside motion detector lights outside your property and overlooking your vehicles on the driveway (burglars don’t like these).
• If you have a post box outside your property, make sure it has a ‘deep’ box and a very narrow opening so no one can get their hand inside.
VEHICLE CRIME
• DO NOT leave any valuables in your vehicles overnight. There have been a large amount of golf clubs and golfing equipment (worth up to £10k) stolen from car boots recently, and the
owners all said ‘they were out of sight’.
• If you are visiting a restaurant/pub, please DO NOT leave handbags/laptops/wallets etc ‘hidden’ under the passenger seat or under a coat ‘out of sight’.
• When you leave your vehicle on the driveway overnight, please ensure that the alarm is set and the vehicle is locked.
There have been many reports of opportunists, going around trying car door handles to see if they have been left unlocked (many are and have valuables stolen).
• Keep your car keys inside a ‘Faraday pouch’ or box.
Even a metal tin with a lid will do the same job, and DO NOT leave your keys near the front door where suspects may pick up a signal using a relay device. (Amazon)
• Do consider purchasing a couple of ‘Apple AirTags’ and hiding them at the bottom of the vehicle boot (somewhere where they can’t easily be found) –
If your vehicle gets stolen, it is likely that you can track its location by the AirTag. A good number of vehicles have been recovered using this method.
With kind regards,
Claire Webb
