The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Getting the better of burglars during holidays

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Sunday, Aug 31, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Getting the better of burglars during holidays

G. Anand

Police anticipate spurt in burglaries during Onam
Families can report their absence from home to local police

Thiruvananthapuram: With many families likely to leave their homes for Onam holidays, the city police are anticipating a spurt in burglaries.

The police have requested citizens going on vacation to report their absence to the local police or residents’ association office-bearers in their neighbourhood.

They have asked neighbourhood watch groups to report if migrant groups are camping on vacant plots or government land in their respective localities.

More than 60 burglaries were reported in the city this year. Most of the break-ins had taken place during daytime.

In most cases, negligence on the part of residents had worked to the advantage of the thieves. The police said weak and ill-secured doors leading to the terrace and the backyard were often used by thieves to break into houses. They said it was not advisable to leave garden tools and other iron implements in the open when nobody was home. Such instruments could become tools in the hands of burglars. For burglars, uncollected mail, newspapers and lights that are not switched off during daytime were telltale signs that a house was unoccupied.

Slam-shut locks provided a higher degree of protection than padlocks. Safety chains and peepholes helped to prevent strangers from intruding into the house. Valuables should be insured and large amounts of cash and gold ornaments should be ideally kept in bank lockers.

Owners should engrave some identification number or mark on valuable properties likely to be stolen. Such identification marks helped the police easily identify stolen ornaments and made recovery of loot easier. Lights should be provided at all exit points in the house. Installing alarm systems was advised.

The police said it was not advisable to sleep near open windows. Bedrooms should be locked from inside. If a theft took place, residents should be careful not to tamper with the scene of crime. The police said that residents should beware of persons calling at their houses under the pretext of repairing or selling things.

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