Secure your home this New Year’s Eve, say police

New Year's Eve

Police are urging Rochdale residents to secure their homes to deter burglars who target empty properties on New Year’s Eve.

Burglars take advantage of people letting their guard down in the holiday season, and victims can return home from parties to find they have been burgled.

To reduce your chances of having a miserable start to the New Year, lock all external doors and windows, activate the burglar alarm if you have one and use timer switches on lights and radios to make your house look occupied.

You should also keep valuables out of sight, and dispose of any boxes that contained presents or other valuables by taking them to the tip – leaving them outside your home advertises to thieves what might be inside.

Police also recommend registering all valuables for free at www.immobilise.com – almost any item with a serial number that is recovered by police can be returned to the owner if it is registered on the database.  

In the run up to the New Year, officers will be increasing patrols in hotspot areas and visiting prolific offenders to warn them that they will be keeping a close eye on them.

Residents can do their bit by following the crime prevention advice to make sure they don’t play host to any unwelcome visitors at this time of year.