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East Centre Crime Prevention Panel
In consultation with Strathclyde Police, the East Centre Crime Prevention Panel offers the following advice on how you can reduce your risk of being a victim of crime.
These are simple suggestions to help you protect yourself, your home and your property. Most crimes are ‘spur of the moment’ actions where thieves see an opportunity, whether it be an open window or valuables on display and by securing your home and property you can save yourself the distress and cost of crime.
Protecting Yourself
The chances of you or a member of your family becoming a victim of crime are low and you can make yourself even less likely to become a victim of a robbery, or assault, by taking a few sensible precautions. Many are common sense and will probably be things you do already.
Quick tips:
• You will be safest in bright, well-lit and busy areas. Avoid short cuts through dimly lit alleys, parks or across waste ground.
• Act confidently – look as if you know where you are going and be alert to your surroundings.
• Spread your valuables around. For example, keep your phone in your bag, your house keys in your trouser pocket and money in your coat or jacket.
• If using public transport, again you are safer where there are other people and where it is well lit.
• Plan your route and tell others where and how you are going.
• Sit near other people, but if someone makes you feel uncomfortable, move away.
• Take extra care at crowded bus stops and on crowded buses and trains. Keep your bag closed and make sure your pockets are inaccessible.
• If you are going to be out late, arrange a lift home or pre-book a taxi and check that the one that arrives is from the correct company.
Protecting Your Home
Good home security, such as window and door locks, is the best way to reduce your chances of being burgled.
Quick tips:
• When you go out – even for a short time – make sure your doors and windows are locked.
• Never leave a house key under a mat or flower pot or hanging behind the letterbox on a piece of string.
• If you go out at night, draw the curtains and leave lights on.
• Think also about leaving a radio on to create the sound of voices in the house.
Bogus Callers
Thieves won’t go to the trouble of breaking into your property if they can just knock and be invited in, so always be on your guard when anyone that you are not expecting turns up at your door. Men, women and children may use any excuse to gain entry to your home – their car has broken down and they’d like to phone for assistance, or they require water for the car’s radiator. If you want to help out, call a neighbour before letting them into your home.
Bogus ‘officials’ will almost certainly be smartly dressed and claim to be from a Council Department or other organisation, often the water, gas or electricity boards, but their aim is to talk their way into your home to see what they can steal.
And bogus ‘workmen’ will call offering to make urgent repairs to a building fault or home improvements, almost always at hugely inflated prices.
Remember, bogus callers often work in pairs with one trying to distract you while the other gains access to your property to search for valuables. Often they will ask for cash in advance and may even offer to drive you to your bank, building society or nearby cash machine to withdraw money to allow them to buy materials. Never do this, Once paid, they could simply disappear.
If you do need building work done, get several quotes from reputable firms, before deciding yourself which one is best. If in doubt, talk it through with family or friends.
Genuine callers will normally make an appointment first and will carry identification with their photograph and details of their company.
Quick tips:
• Have a chain on the door at all times and always use the spy hole or window on the door to check who is on the other side before opening it.
• Always ask to see an identity card and ask the caller what they want.
• Remember if you are unsure of the authenticity of the caller’s identification you can always ask them to call back later. Note their name and company as you can always phone the company they are from to check if they are genuine.
• If the caller is returning at a later time, always have a friend or relative with you when they return.
• Never let a stranger into your home unless you are absolutely confident they are genuine.
For more information on personal and property security, refer to the Strathclyde Police website – www.strathclyde.police.uk
Please don’t hesitate to contact Strathclyde Police if you have been a victim or you have information which may help the police investigate other crimes.
Remember too, CRIMESTOPPERS is a way of talking to police without telling them who you are. You do not need to give your name, just the information you want to pass on. You can phone free, at any time, on 0800 555 111.
Last updated: 7.21pm, Thursday 21st January 2010