Burglaries in Shaw and Crompton

Following further reports of Burglaries in Shaw and Crompton, please read the following advice to keep your home safe!

How to Prevent Residential Burglary

1/ Perform routine tasks and clean up the outside your property on a regular basis to show you are occupying your home.

Empty your mailbox on a regular basis, collect old newspapers from your driveway, or pick up discarded rubbish that has landed in your yard.

2/ Install timed lights or leave a radio or television playing if you are travelling or will be absent from your home for long periods of time.

You may want to enlist a trusted friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your property and to collect your mail while you are travelling away from home.

3/ Lock all your doors, windows, garages, and sheds when you leave your home to make it difficult for burglars to enter without attracting the attention of others.

Test your locks for their durability by trying to open your doors and windows from the outside.

Install sturdy deadbolt locks on your doors to prevent thieves from breaking in easily.

4/ Make your doors and windows visible to the neighbourhood and to the street.

Cut away tree branches or high shrubbery that can hide burglars when they are breaking and entering your home.

5/ Store your valuables away from windows or doors where they can easily be seen from the outside.

You may want to hang privacy curtains over windows to make it difficult for others to see inside.

6/ Hide or destroy any outside rubbish that may advertise your personal belongings to the rest of your neighbourhood.

For example, you may want to break down or destroy boxes that contained valuable, expensive electronic devices you may have just purchased, such as a large television or stereo system.

7/ Leave spare house keys with trusted friends, family, or neighbours instead of placing them outside on your property.

Burglars may be familiar with common hiding places for spare keys

8/ Park your vehicles inside a closed garage if you have one to make it difficult for burglars to determine if you are home or not.

9/ Install a home alarm system to deter burglars and to alarm authorities if there is a break-in.

Consult with your home insurance provider to seek discounts for alarm systems.

10/ Stray away from routine schedules to make it more difficult for burglars to predict when you will be absent from your home.

11/ Only use fully shielded neighbour-friendly lighting that is equipped with motion or infrared detectors. 

12/ Alter your outside landscaping to make it difficult for burglars to navigate your property without being seen or heard.

You may want to surround your windows or home with loose gravel, stones, or rocks that will make noise when stepped on.

Place plants or shrubbery under your windows or on your property that is difficult to navigate around, such as rose bushes with lots of thorns.