URGENT SECURITY ADVICE

                                                                                                   
Police Scotland would like to make you aware that opportunist thieves have been active in this area. 
 
Therefore, it is suggested that you give your house and garden a security health check.  Take a good look at your house and try to work out how you would get into your house without a key.  If you have an alarm do you use it every time you go out? Have you recorded all of the serial numbers for your electrical equipment?  Are your valuables easily accessible? 
 
The following tips could help prevent your house from becoming a statistic:
 

• Secure shed and all tools that may be used to force entry

• Consider the use of a shed alarm

• Ensure your locks are tested to British Standard.

• Fit deadlocks to external doors

• Fit and use security lights

• Window locks should be fitted where appropriate and used all the time.  Do not leave the key in the lock. 

• Mark all the electrical equipment with an ultraviolet marker pen.

• Hedges or trees should be trimmed or cropped so as not to provide cover for thieves.

• Laptop computers and mobile phones are favourite housebreaking targets.  These should be locked away or removed from view.  Add tracking software to smart phones, laptops and ipads to aid in the recovery of these items

• Consider investing in a safe or strong box for storage of cash and valuables.  A safe should be securely fixed to the fabric of the building and should only be used for short-term storage of cash.

• Consider installing an intruder alarm system.  More information can be found on alarm systems and monitoring at www.nsi.org.uk or www.ssaib.org
  

 
Garden Crime
 
Break-ins to garden sheds and thefts from gardens are common throughout the country.  In fact, many criminals consider this type of crime to be low risk, as they don’t have to force entry to your home.  Many people store bikes, power tools and expensive gardening equipment in their sheds making it very attractive to criminals.
 
The good news is that there is a lot you can do to outsmart garden thieves.  A few simple solutions can make all the difference to the security of your garden.
 

• Use a good quality closed shackle padlock on your shed door.  The hasp should be attached using coach bolts or anti tamper screws rather than basic screws.

• You should keep valuable items in the house but if they must stay in the shed chain and lock them up.  Gold Level Sold Secure D locks are available to buy at St Leonards Police Station for £15.

• Loop a bike lock through the handles of garden forks, spades, etc.  Remember, these can be used as tools to force entry to your house.

• Securitymark your bicycles, lawnmowers, toolboxes and garden furniture, by engraving, painting or using a security marker pen.

• Make sure you know full details of your pedal cycle(s) including make, model, frame size, number of gears and serial number.

• Fit an internal wire mesh grille and an adhesive frosting to your shed window. 

• Install security lighting to illuminate your garden.

• Fit a shed alarm.  These can be bought from St Leonards Police Station for £10

• Consider topping your fence or wall with a trellis, which will provide an additional barrier and provide support for climbing plants.

• Aggressive plants and shrubs, such as Berberis and Hawthorn can help deter intruders.

 
If you see anyone acting suspiciously near to your premises please contact the police immediately with as detailed a description as possible of any person or vehicle involved.  Please call 999 if an emergency and urgent police assistance is required or 101 to report the matter to the police.
 
 
For further advice contact your local police station or visit:
 
http://stage.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/safety-advice/at-home-and-work/