As many people prepare to jet off on their holidays over summer months, Cumbria Constabulary is reminding communities to keep their properties secure and help prevent crime.
Police officers are reminding people to ‘lock it or lose it’ to avoid having their summer spoiled by unscrupulous opportunist thieves.
Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Graham said: “Traditionally, the numbers of burglaries can rise over summer as people go on their holidays and leave their properties empty or insecure.
“Neighbourhood Policing Teams around the county take this into account as part of their regular police patrols but we are urging communities to be neighbourly and look out for one another."
“We all have a part to play in keeping crime down in our areas and if you know your neighbours are away and witness any suspicious activity around their home, please contact police immediately.
“My advice to holidaymakers would be to take a little extra care to protect your property before you go away. Taking the time to double check that your home is secure can make it much harder for offenders to commit crimes and save you the heartache of coming home to find you have been a victim of burglary or theft.
“Let your neighbours know you are going on holiday and ask them to keep an eye on your property. Avoid letting your house look deserted and cancel things like milk deliveries so that it doesn’t become obvious that no-one is home.”
Throughout summer, police patrols are also encompassing car parks at Cumbria’s popular tourist destinations to remind visitors and tourists to secure their vehicles and remove valuable items from view.
ACC Jerry Graham continues: “It is a sad fact that some of our county’s most popular beauty spots are also very popular with opportunist thieves. They specifically target vehicles in these sorts of areas as visitors can often leave valuable items such as sat navs, cameras and mobile phones on show.
“Police officer are visiting these hotspot areas and have been displaying posters to remind people to ‘lock it or lose it.’
“Pedal cyclists also need to be mindful of this safety advice. Many more cyclists take to the road in summer but don’t always consider how they will secure their bikes when they stop.
“If a bike is unattended and insecure it can be seen as an easy target by thieves. Even if you are only leaving it for a short time outside your home or a shop, or on the back of your car, make sure you lock it to a fixed point.
“I’d also advise having your cycle security marked which can be done for free by your local policing team. This is an effective deterrent and helps us to identify bikes that are found or stolen and return them to their rightful owners.”
For more information about security advice, crime prevention tips or information on how to join local Neighbourhood Watch Schemes, visit www.cumbria.police.uk or contact your local policing team on 0845 33 00 247.
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