Don't make Christmas easy for burglars

Householders in Rochdale are being warned not to gift-wrap Christmas for burglars.

The security warning comes in the run up to one of the busiest times of the year for police.
Between 1 and 30 November there were 137 burglaries across the Borough. Of those burglaries 31 were a result of people leaving doors and windows open or unlocked.

To combat burglary across the Borough, officers will be conducting high visibility patrols in hotspot areas at key times and will be visiting homes to offer crime prevention advice.

Detective Chief Inspector Graham Stevens for Rochdale Division said: “The festive period should be a time everyone can enjoy safely and peacefully but the sad reality is that criminals like to shop for Christmas too.

“Burglars know that at this time of year many homes are full of presents and all too often homes are targeted because they have been left either insecure or with items on view.

“By following a few simple steps you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of crime. There are plenty of ways to improve your home security such as fitting a burglar alarm, security lighting and timer switches. You can also fix down your fence panels, block access to the side or rear of your property.

“It is also important to keep valuables out of sight from prying eyes and dispose of boxes revealing Christmas presents by taking them to the tip. Leaving them outside your home is an advert to thieves of the kind of goods you will have inside.”