Burglary crime prevention: Keep your home safe during the darker nights

With darker nights still upon us, we are sharing some simple ways to protect your home.

Popping out of the house?

Close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you’re only going out for a few minutes!
Double-lock any door
Make sure that any valuables are out of sight – this includes leaving packaging from outside of your house
Keep handbags away from the letterbox or cat flap and hide all keys including car keys, as a thief could hook keys or valuables through even a small opening
Never leave car documents or ID in obvious places such as kitchens or hallways
In the evening, shut the curtains and leave lights on
If you’re out all day, then it’s advisable to use a timer device to automatically turn lights and a radio on at night
Set your burglar alarm
Make sure the side gate is locked
Lock your shed or garage
Lock your bike inside a secure shed or garage, to a robust fitting bolted to the ground or wall, like a ground anchor

Going away?

If you’re off on holiday and wish to post anything on social media, make sure your posts aren’t public and that they’re only seen by your friends – you don’t want potential burglars to know your house will be unattended!
Leave lights and a radio on a timer to make your house appears occupied
Ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property, or you could join a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme to keep in touch with those in your street
Consider asking your neighbours to close curtains after dark
If your driveway will be empty – you could also ask a neighbour to park on there to deter burglars from breaking in
Remember to cancel newspaper and milk deliveries – you don’t want these piling up on your doorstep!

View other crime prevention advice:

Crime prevention advice | West Mercia Police

If you need to contact the police you can get in touch via their website:

Or in an emergency please call 999.

Thank you for your support.