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Property safety
Information about keeping your property safe.
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Burglary
Burglary is a concern to the residents of Merton and a priority for the police and its partners. Burglary is an invasion of your home and not an experience we want any of our residents to go through. Many burglaries can be avoided with forethought and basic crime prevention activity. House burglars target their victims where they think they will be able to take the most property with the least risk. The following easy steps may help you and your neighbours avoid becoming victims of burglary:
- During dark afternoons and evenings, no lights mean no-one's at home. Leave some lights on.
- Burglars often use tools from sheds to help them break in. Lock your sheds.
- Burglars are opportunists. Keep your doors, patio doors and windows locked.
- Unmarked property is easy to dispose of. You can get free DNA marking kits from the police. Just ask your Safer Neighbourhood Team.
- Laptops and electronic items are the property of choice. Don't leave them where they can be seen through a window.
- Burglars pick on the weak and vulnerable. Look out for your neighbours.
- Burglars sometimes attack multiple flats in a single block. Keep communal doors locked.
- If you see anything suspicious, please ring the police.
Bicycles
- Always lock your cycle to something immovable like a cycle stand or railings - even if only leaving it for a few minutes (please observe any requests not to use certain items of street furniture and be sure not to cause any damage.
- Do not leave your cycle in an isolated place. It is better to leave it somewhere well lit and busy or where there is CCTV coverage.
- Park safely and considerately, where your bike will not cause a danger or obstruction to others - particularly older people, young children or those with disabilities.
- Try to arrange your cycle so that the lock is attached to the frame and one of the wheels.
- If you have quick release wheels, take off the front wheel and lock it to the frame and back wheel.
- Use a D-shaped shackle lock for extra security.
- Remove smaller parts and accessories that can't be secured, for example, lights, pumps and quick release saddles and take them with you whenever possible.
- If you leave your bike in a shed or garage remember to lock it. You may want to chain your bike to an anchorage point so that it can't be removed. You could fit an alarm or security lights. If the shed has a window, cover it up so that thieves cannot see what's inside.
Property marking
- Make sure the area to be marked is clean and dry.
- Mark your postcode plus your house or flat number (or the first two letters of your house name) provides a simple and unique identifying code. For example: 32 High Street, Anytown, AT1 3SY would use AT1 3SY 32
- Mark this on the frame of your bike using a UV pen.
- UV markings can fade over time, especially when exposed to sunlight or rain, so it is important to renew it regularly.
Bicycle log
It is also important to keep a record of your cycle's details so if it lost or stolen you can show this to the Police when you report it.
See also
Your home
- Lock doors, windows and side gates when you go out, even it it’s only for a few minutes or you are only in the garden.
- Lock up when you go to bed – put the keys somewhere you can find them quickly in an emergency but keep them out of sight of prowlers to prevent letterbox burglaries
- Keep keys away from the door. Don’t leave a spare key concealed outside the house – burglars know where to look.
- Don’t let people see into your home – put up net curtains or draw curtains and blinds when the lights are on. Where possible, keep valuables out of sight.
- Keep ladders locked up or out of sight so they can’t be used to gain access to windows.
- When you go out make it look as if your house is occupied. Leave lights and a radio or TV on or on a timer switch.
- Property mark your valuable items.
- Keep an inventory of valuable items, noting the year you brought it, price when new and serial numbers, makes and models.
- When you move into a new home, change the locks (or ask your landlord to do so) as you do not know who the previous owners gave keys to.
- Do not leave your keys with tradesmen etc as they can be easily copied.
- When you buy new items such as a TV, don’t leave the empty box by the bin as an advertisement.
See also: Alley-gating
Cars
- When parking your car remember to close the windows and sunroof, lock the door and activate any alarm system.
- Always lock your car, even if you are only leaving it for a few minutes.
- If possible, remove your stereo and take it with you.
- Property mark your stereo by etching your vehicle identification number and postcode on to it or by using an UV marker.
- Never leave valuables in your car. If you have to do so keep them out of sight by putting them under a seat or in the boot and do so before you begin your journey – thieves may be watching you park.
- Never leave your stereo or satellite navigation kit under your seat - thieves know that this is a regular 'hiding place'
- Think about where you are parking, particularly at night. Park in a busy, well lit area. This is important both for the safety of your car as well as your own personal safety when returning to it.
- Never leave your keys in the car.
- Keep your car keys a secure place when at home – burglars have been know to break into houses or ‘fish’ through letterboxes in order to steal car keys.
- Do not mark your car keys with your address or car registration number.
- Around 150,000 tax disks are taken from cars each year. These can be tampered with and sold on to someone else. You can protect your tax disk with a tamper proof disk holder, available from the Post Office.
- When driving, lock your doors, keep valuables out of sight and only open windows a little, so no one can reach into your car if you are stopped in traffic.
- You might want to think about buying some extra security equipment for your vehicle, including a steering wheel lock, spare wheel locks, security posts for your drive, locking petrol caps, side screen protection film (to stop smash and grab theft), and deadlocks for your car doors.
Mobile phones
- When using your phone be aware of your surroundings. Do not use in crowded areas or where you feel unsafe.
- Try not to use your phone whilst walking about as this makes you less aware of what’s going on around you and is putting your phone on display.
- Do not wear your phone on a lanyard around your neck.
- Remember how much your phone costs – would you walk down the street holding that much money in your hands?
- Don’t leave your phone lying on the table when in a restaurant or pub.
- Like all your belongings keep an eye on it – never leave your bag or coat unattended.
- Keep your phone out of sight whilst driving so that no one can reach into your car and grab it – place it in the side of the door or leave it in your coat or bag.
In case your phone is stolen
- Always use your phone’s security lock code or PIN number.
- Property mark the battery (and phone) with your postcode and street number or the first two letters of your house name.
- Register your phone with the operator. If you report your phone stolen, the operator should then be able to bar the SIM card.
- Keep a note of your phone’s IMEI number as this helps to identify your phone and may be needed by the police. You can find out your phone’s 15 digit IMEI number by keying *#06# into your phone or looking behind the battery. Keep this number safe at home – not in your wallet or diary as this could get stolen alongside your phone.
- Inform the police and your service provider immediately if your phone is lost or stolen.
See also
- Merton Borough police crime prevention - Metropolitan Police website
- London Fire Brigade website for fire safety tips
- You can register your property for free at www.immobilise.com
Contact us
Safer Merton
Merton Council
Civic Centre
London
Road
Morden
SM4 5DX
Telephone: 020 8545 4146
Email: safer.merton@merton.gov.uk
This page was last updated on Friday 13 January 2012