Police across Wigan borough are issuing a festive warning to make sure people giving gifts don't hand one to a thief this Christmas.
There is traditionally an increase in burglaries and thefts from cars around this time of year as people stock up on presents for the festive season.
Wendy O'Neil, crime reduction adviser for Greater Manchester Police's Wigan Division, said: "Festive goodwill should not extend to making life easy for opportunist criminals. People should always be mindful of keeping property and valuables safe, but at Christmas a special effort ought to be made as there can be more temptation out there for would-be thieves."
Police are sending out the following advice...
 |
|
Don't leave any Christmas gifts or valuables in your vehicle |
- Don't leave any Christmas gifts or valuables in your vehicle when out shopping, including the boot.
- Don't leave presents on display under trees until Christmas Day – before then keep them well-hidden under lock and key.
- Make sure you lock all external doors and windows, even when you're in.
- Make sure you have a burglar alarm installed and remember to activate it when you go out or go to bed.
- Leave a light on or use timer switches to make your house look occupied when you go out.
- After Christmas, do not put empty boxes and packaging outside your home, as this will advertise to burglars what new items are inside. Instead, keep them stored in a safe place until the refuse collectors are due to call.
- Register valuables for free at www.immobilise.com - almost any item with a serial number recovered by police can be returned to the owner if it is registered on the database.
Anyone wanting to report criminal or suspicious activity should call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Comments