Wiltshire homeowners urged to keep property safe over Christmas period
The force say 53 households were burgled last December
Last updated 9th Dec 2024
Wiltshire Police are urging homeowners across the county to protect and secure your property as we head into the festive period.
Last December, stats revealed by the force show that more than 50 local families were victims of burglary.
They say incidents that happen this time of year happen mostly by opportunist criminals - who look for the easy way to get into people homes.
Detective Inspector Sarah Champion explains: “Burglaries that take place around the Christmas period in Wiltshire are predominantly opportunist, with criminals often using rear patio doors to gain access to the property.
"We advise members of the public to ensure their back garden and entrances to their home are as secure as possible, locking and bolting garden gates, removing garden ornaments which can be used to smash windows, storing bins away from fences and gates, and investing in CCTV systems which cover all angles of the property.”
They've been sharing more tips to prevent your home from being burgled, which include:
- Always securing windows and doors, even when you are inside your home
- Using timer lights and television simulators
- Installing external motion sensor lighting
- Defensive planting of spiky shrubs and keeping hedges low
- Marking valuables using property marking DNA kits, and registering them on immobilise.com
- Avoiding oversharing information on social media when the property is empty
- Hiding Christmas presents from under a visible Christmas tree or on the back seats of cars
- Keeping expensive goods packaging hidden out of view and not on top of recycling bins
- Blocking high value vehicles in on driveways
If you're planning on going on holiday, or visiting family and friends, you're urged to do park a neighbour’s car on the driveway, avoid location sharing on social media, and use internal timer lights to make it look like you're not away.
DI Champion continues: “Being burgled at Christmas can cause devastating impacts on victims. We do not want anyone to be a victim of burglary this Christmas period, and we hope by sharing crime prevention advice in the lead-up to Christmas that homeowners will be vigilant and take any necessary precautions to protect their homes.”
Officers will be increasing patrols of hotspot locations and residential areas across Wiltshire during the Christmas period.