Recent police reports show that there is a marked increase in burglaries in the above 2 areas , and I have been asked to update the officers concerned with current NHW groups in place.
There is evidence, however, that areas being currently targetted have no current NHW groups registered in those post codes / locations, and therefore information returning on suspicious behaviours and potential lining up of thefts is not being reported.
Please consider, even if it is only in your immediate street, avenue, cul-de-sac, would it be worth looking into protection by having a group set up to observe what is happening around your home area?
The illusion that ALL NHW groups are fully manned by nosey parker / curtain twitching people is a huge fallacy. I would be happy to know that someone was showing concern, if an unknown person or group of people walked up my driveway and started looking around, through windows and doors.
With this in mind, can any callers to your property gain access to the rear with no hindrance of a locked gate or locked passageway for alleyway access?
Do you challenge cold callers to prove who they are by badge or other I/D formats?
So many “official” forms of identification can be easily copied, or scanned to look very realistic at a quick glance, (and that is all you will be shown ), and the times of some callers at night can be a worry, especially for those living on their own.
The contact mobile number can often be their mate sounding like a call centre, so do not rely on that information – look up the local / regional / national contact before allowing anyone into your home.
Protect your property boundaries to make it harder to gain illegal entry, and keep doors locked with no valuables in plain sight near those doors. Do not leave car keys in view – several robberies have been of house keys and car keys, ready for a return when occupants are on holidays, or out shopping.
Who looks twice at someone, if they appear to have the keys legitimately to access a house ?