Burglary continues to fall across Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire Police are claiming a major success in the battle against burglary as they reveal incidents in known hotspot areas have fallen significantly.

Figures released by police show there were 93 fewer residential burglaries in these areas throughout October and November compared to the same two months last year.

Overall, on average there have been around 34 fewer residential burglaries every month across Bedfordshire in 2021 compared to last year.

The drop in the number of break-ins in Bedfordshire coincides with the force doubling its solved rate for burglaries in November compared to the average so far this year.

Bedfordshire Police issued crime prevention advice to almost 40,000 households in areas identified as having higher rates of burglary.

Already this month three people have been charged in connection to 14 burglaries across the county.

“But we are also being creative in how we get the word out to our communities to make themselves a hostile target for opportunistic thieves.

“There are some simple steps you can take to keep your home safe. Plus, if you have any information, please report it – all reports go into our intelligence systems, help us build the full picture of burglary across the county and take action.”

There are some key things you can do to protect your home from being burgled, including:

> Make your house look lived-in – burglars won’t be tempted by a full house. If you are out during the night, keep your lights on a timer and consider keeping your radio playing so it seems like someone is home.

> Lock up when you leave – make sure all doors and windows on your house, vehicle and garages or sheds are securely locked at all times. Not only can valuable tools be appealing to burglars, they can also be used to force entry to a home. If you have a PVC-U or multilock door, ensure that you lift up the handle and turn and remove the key.

> Keep valuables out of sight – keys, wallets, mobile phones and laptops left in view can entice opportunist thieves. Try to keep them hidden in a safe place or store them out of view of windows.

> Don’t give crooks an easy entry – never leave keys under a doormat or in a flowerpot. It’s the first place a would-be offender would look.

> Look out for neighbours – ask a friend to keep an eye on your house if you go away, and do the same for neighbours. Stay alert to suspicious activity on your street. Consider joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in your area.

> Security mark your property – officers are encouraging residents to mark high-value belongings such as laptops, tablets, smartphones and games consoles using UV pens. This can help police return any items that are stolen to their rightful owners. To request a UV pen for personal use, email [email protected] or call 101 and ask to speak to the Designing Out Crime team.

> Report incidents – visit Bedfordshire.police.uk/report or call 101 to report an incident, or 999 if a crime is in progress. You can also give information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

> Complete the home security checklist – take a few minutes to review the security in your home. Most domestic security issues can be improved quickly and cheaply, and will put your mind at rest. The checklist is available to view, download and complete via the burglary section on the Bedfordshire Police website.

>> Is burglary still a big issue in your area? Email us at [email protected].