Residents in Aylesbury Vale are being urged to look out for any suspicious activity following a number of burglaries and thefts.
Police officers are investigating after homes were burgled and tools and machinery were taken from works vans, vehicles and outbuildings.
Most recently rural communities in the east and south of Aylesbury Vale have been affected including Great Bricknell, Stewkley, Soulbury, Wing, Newton Longville, Ivinghoe, Buckingham and Wendover.
No cases have been reported in Haddenham yet, but it may just be a matter of time.
Officers are therefore urging residents to review their home, outbuilding and vehicle security and keep an eye out for any unusual vehicles or activity.
Says Victoria Taylor, Communications Officer for Thames Valley Police, "If you see anything you're not happy with, perhaps a van or vehicle you don't recognise, or anything suspicious, make a note of the vehicle registration and description of the occupants and call police on 101. If you believe there is a crime in progress dial 999."
Crime prevention advice
- Invest in a timer light switch and vary the time it comes on each day to make it look more natural. It can also be used with a radio or TV to give the impression that someone's home.
- Purchase a fake/simulated TV device which lights up a room like a real TV.
- Keep valuables out of sight and mark them with your house number and postcode using a UV pen.
- Lock your doors and windows. If you have a UPVC door make sure you have double-locked it by lifting the handle and locking it with the key. Make sure the key is removed from the lock and out of reach.
- Lock tools away in a secure building or part of a building when not in use.
- Do not leave a garage or garden shed unlocked, especially if it has a connecting door to the house.
- Fit strong padlocks and hardware to shed and garage doors.
- Make sure that the doors are solid enough not to be kicked in.
- Fit locks or bars to windows.
- Lock ladders inside your garage or shed.
- Secure your wheelie bin to stop an intruder using it to climb on.
- Consider lockable steel boxes or anchor posts fitted to the floor of vans or sheds to secure tools and equipment.
- Install a battery or mains-powered shed alarm, available from all good DIY stores at a reasonable price.
- For extra security, replace the screws in external hinges of your shed or garage side-door with 'clutch-head' screws (also known as 'anti-tamper' or 'coffin' screws).
- Tools should be uniquely marked, photographed and recorded.
- Register tools on the national database Immoblise. Include your postcode and property name or number.
- Consider 'postcoding' and marking tools and equipment using the premise postcode and house number or first three letters of the property name.
- Use property marking to uniquely mark tools. Popular options include overt visible permanent marking (painting or CRE-mark), or covert UV marking and the application of chemical coding products like Smartwater.
Local electricians will be happy to provide advice on outside lighting and carry out the installation of motion-activated security lighting. See the SERVICES section on this website for Haddenham-based electricians.
