Merry Christmas! This will be my last column for the year as we head into holiday season.
While there are many safety messages that apply at this time of year, it’s timely for my annual reminder about security. We have seen an increase in burglaries, particularly commercial and rural burglaries, of late so we need to be vigilant. It is easy to become complacent as Cambridge is generally a safer town to live in. This does not make us immune from opportunistic thieves however, especially those prolific offenders who come into the area from across the district.
Thieves can be the Grinch of Christmas, and in previous years burglars have even broken in and stolen Christmas presents from underneath the tree. Be security conscious even when home. When the weather is warm, do not leave your garage doors open wide for ventilation – you are showing any offenders exactly what you have that they can steal. You are also providing access to internal access doors. If you are out the back of your house, keep the front doors locked and valuables such as wallets and iPads out of sight. If you are going away, do your best to not advertise your absence to passers-by. Ensure you lock all doors and windows, and if away for any length of time, have the lawns mown and consider asking a neighbour to park their car in your driveway.
Remember to ensure any pets are cared for if they can’t go with you, either at a kennels/cattery or by a visiting carer. If you have CCTV in place, check that it is working properly; recording and saving, and if it can be accessed from your mobile phone, even better.
When your car is parked on your property, remember to lock it even when you are leaving it for a short period of time. Again, do not leave any valuables in your car as these entice thieves to smash a window, break in and steal them.
Prevention is best and you may avoid a theft and the associated inconvenience of insurance claims and trying to get the car repaired at an already hectic time of year.
Reporting is key in all cases. Let me stress one more time for 2022, if a crime is in progress, or offenders have just fled a scene, call 111 immediately – do not second guess yourself. If you return after a holiday or time away and find something has happened and offenders are long gone, ring 105 or report it online at 105.police.govt.nz
However you are celebrating the holiday season, I wish you a safe, fun and relaxing time. See you in the New Year.
