Burglary

Around a third of burglaries in the Avon and Somerset area are opportunistic, with the thief gaining access through an unlocked door or open window. To help ensure you do not become the victim of a burglary you should:

Lock your doors and windows

Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you’re just out in the garden.

You should also remove valuables from view of ground floor windows and hide all keys out of sight and away from your letterbox.

Avon and Somerset Police went out and about to see how many open windows and doors they could find.

Use timers to make it look like someone is home

You could leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied.

Make your home difficult to break in to

You should make sure any fences and gates around your home are in good condition.

You could also supplement and reinforce garden fences with prickly plants and shrubbery – you can see examples on the Cleeve Nursery website.

You can also improve natural surveillance at the front of your home - you can trim high hedges, for example.

You should also keep ladders and tools stored away. Don’t leave them outside where they can be used to break into your home.

Keep your high value items safe

You should store any high value items – such as jewellery and passports – in a securely locked safe or bank vault.

Report a crime

Find out about the different ways of reporting a crime on the Police UK website.