Washington Christmas Crime Hike
So it starts, we are already seeing this seasons Christmas crime hike in Washington Tyne and Wear.
As locksmiths in Washington we get called out to many robberies and see some heartbreaking scenes. There is no worse feeling than knowing someone has broken in to your home and went through your private items and stolen items you cannot replace.
"they are watching people via facebook".
In the last 7 days we have attended 19 burglaries in the Gateshead and Washington area with a total of 44 in November for the entire month. Now that the holiday season has arrived people are twice the target with 3 times the chance of been burgled.
Above: Police lead the youngster away from his home in Rutland Square, Birtley, where they found a haul of drugs and suspected stolen goods from burgleries in Washington and Birtley.
Thieves are looking ato facebook and social sites to see what goodies you have, when your home or out, when you work and where. They then target housing gaining entry in to the properties weak points.
Washington Locksmith Service offer a FREE no obligation home security check where we can spot the areas that a criminal would be looking for to attack your home of business.
You can start by taking some easy precautions, here we have list from Northumbria Police.
What a burglar looks for:
A home which looks empty
Easy access to the back of the building
Trees and high bushes in surrounding area which provide good cover
Homes with no visible signs of protection such as alarms or lighting.
Locks that stick out of the handle which are easy to snap or attack
When they’ve chosen a property they will:
Look through the windows to see inside
Check if any neighbours are watching
Find you on facebook to see if they can find out more information such as nights out, when you work, what you have, are you on holiday
They will often watch a home for days before attacking it
Tips to keep your home safe:
Keep windows and doors locked when you go out and even when you're at home
Consider fitting an approved burglar alarm system
Take steps to ensure your home looks secure from the outside
If you go out in the evening, close curtains and set light timers
Consider fitting a letter-box cage to stop intruders reaching inside
Don't hide spare keys in the garage, shed or outside
If you store larger items such as bikes in a shed make sure it is secure, and use bike locks along with shed alarms and extra padlocks, block up shed windows with wood shutters
Fit CCTV or dummy CCTV
Make sure you have British Standard locks
Don't allow your locks to protrude from the door handle
Only use a professional locksmith.
