Burglary warning - unlocked doors and windows

One out of every two burglaries in Rochdale are due to a window or door being left open or unlocked and local police are urging residents to keep homes secure after a spate of burglaries in the area.  

Middleton has been particularly targeted with 66 per cent of all burglaries in the area occurring because someone had left a window or door unlocked or wide open.  The houses in the surrounding area will be sent letters informing residents that burglars are operating in their area, along with some tips on how to keep their homes safe.

Brian Farr, Crime Reduction Adviser for Rochdale police said: “We understand that with the recent warm weather we have been experiencing residents like to open windows and doors to keep cool and we are not trying to stop people from doing this.  The best advice we can give is to only have windows or doors open in the room that you are in.  When leaving a room and especially the house, make sure all windows and doors are closed and secured.

“Residents need to be aware that by not securing their homes, they are not only leaving themselves vulnerable to burglars, but may also be invalidating any insurance claim.”

Malcolm Tarling from the Association of British Insurers added:  “Insurers expect you to take reasonable precautions to protect your property from burglars.  Failure to do so could cause problems with any insurance claim following a burglary, especially if you have not complied with any security measures required by your insurers.  Insurers of course, do not expect you to take security precautions that compromise you or your family's own safety.”