If you are going away for the new year, ensure you secure your home, vehicles and business adequately.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
During the extended break, there is often a slight increase in residential and business burglaries. Police ask business owners not to leave cash on premises, especially over the Christmas period.
Burglars generally choose properties that appear an easy target and appear to have little or no security measures in place. They may be slightly secluded, lacking basic security, including sensor lighting, deadlocks and security screens.
By adopting these holiday tips you can deter would-be criminals from targeting your home, business or vehicle.
Make sure one person does the final security check before leaving for your holiday.
Ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your house or get a friend or family member to regularly check on your property or even park a vehicle in the driveway.
Avoid leaving packaging from new electrical items, including TVs, Xboxes, Playstations, drones and other popular items outside on display for opportunistic thieves to see what brand new items you may have inside.
Make sure you don't leave wallets, handbags, ipads, laptops, smart phones, cameras, money etc on display in your car, particularly when parking in carparks or tourist areas.
Children often leave valuables on display in the back seat which goes unnoticed by parents. Lock all these things in the boot if you cannot take them with you.
Businesses need to take particular care not to leave money on the premises.
Take extra care to ensure that alarms, CCTV cameras and security lighting are operating and activated before leaving for the holiday period. A neighbouring business owner may be happy to check on your business.
Report suspicious people or vehicles to police straight away on 131 444.