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| Holiday Security |
- Ensure all doors and windows are securely locked, preferably with deadlocks and keyed window locks.
- Let your neighbours know you'll be away and ask them to watch out for visitors and collect all your junk mail.
- Arrange for mail to be held or re-directed by the post office or collected by your neighbour.
Remember that a good neighbour can be as effective as a police patrol in protecting your home while you are away
- Cancel all deliveries such as newspapers and milk.
- Consider installing automatic timing devices for lights and electrical appliances such as radios and televisions. By automatically switching them on and off, it makes it appear as if you're still there.
- Disconnect the electrical supply on radio controlled or electronic garage doors and engage manual locks instead.
- Don't leave house keys concealed inside or outside the house. You're better to give them to a trusted friend or neighbour.
- If cars are left home, make sure all doors are locked, and leave the keys with a trusted friend or neighbour.
- Give your neighbour or friend a contact address and telephone number.
- If you live in a Neighbourhood Watch area tell the Coordinator that you will be away, and for how long.
- Be sure to notify the keyholder when you return. This is especially important if you return home early.
- Engrave or mark valuable property with your driver's licence number preceded by the letters WA for Western Australia.
- Turn down the ringing volume on your telephone.
- Arrange for someone to cut your lawn and water the garden.
- Consider asking your neighbour to park a second car in your driveway.
- Lock up garden tools, ladders and other items, which could be used to enter your home.
Holiday security checklist
Have you -
- Locked all windows -preferably with key operated locks?
- Locked all external doors?
- Advised your chosen keyholder of your absence and contact details?
- Locked all tools away?
- Cancelled deliveries such as newspapers?
- Had mail held, redirected or arranged collection?
- Disconnected power supply to electric garage doors?
- Locked valuables in a safe or bank safety deposit box?
- Turned down the ringing volume on the telephone?
- Arranged for someone to cut the lawn?
- Arranged for the care of the pets?
- Arranged for the payment of bills for utilities such as electricity and gas?
- Engraved your valuables with your driver's licence number?
- Advised monitoring centre of next contact person/keyholder, if your house has a monitored alarm?
How to protect your home while you're on holidays
In all the excitement and rush to organise your holiday, it's very easy to forget things - and we're not talking toothbrushes! Many burglaries occur when home owners are away on holidays. A house left empty for some time is a target for potential intruders.
By taking some simple precautions and giving your home a "lived in" look before you go on holidays, you can substantially reduce the risk of burglary.
This is all about a Safer W.A. and the community working together with the police and Government to reduce crime.
If you discover your house has been broken into or someone is in your home, do not enter.
Go straight to a nearby phone and call the police.
