December
Lock Crime Out
10 December 13
With 30% of burglaries in the South Belfast area occurring through open windows and unlocked doors, Police, in partnership with Queen’s Students' Union, are encouraging students to take steps to protect their property.
Detective Inspector Ian Magee, explains: “A large proportion of all burglaries occur through unlocked doors or windows. If your doors aren't secure, neither is your house. Keep your doors and windows locked whether you are at home or not and establish a routine which involves checking doors and windows to make sure they are locked before you leave the house.
"Never leave keys in the lock, on tabletops or hooks in view of external windows. Never hide spare keys under doormats or flower pots. Hidden keys make life easy for the burglar.
He added: “Many students may be returning to a parental home for Christmas. Make sure you take high value items such as laptops with you and that items such as games consoles are stored securely and not left out on display or visible to passers-by."
Police officers will be patrolling the streets of South Belfast and distributing leaflets to residents to increase awareness of the need to protect property.
Tiernan McAteer, Student Officer Welfare at Queen’s Student’s Union said, “We are keen to support initiatives that protect student’s welfare and with the Christmas period approaching, which can be an expensive time of year, the need to look after valuable property is more important than ever. An open window or door can leave your house and property at risk – don’t let burglars take advantage. This is a high profile campaign and I hope that its message will have a positive impact in reducing these types of crimes.”
Police would encourage anyone with information about burglaries or any type of crime to contact police immediately. Neighbours can also play a vital part in helping prevent burglary by keeping an eye out for suspicious activity and reporting it to police. The number to call is 0845 600 8000 or in an emergency dial 999.
Further crime prevention advice can be obtained by visiting the PSNI website at www.psni.police.uk.