Working Together to Prevent Burglaries

Sheffield Homes, South Yorkshire Police and local tenants are campaigning together against sneak in, distraction and bogus caller burglaries as part of National Wardens Week.

 

On Wednesday morning (14 September) Sheffield Homes Neighbourhood Wardens and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be in Parson Cross, an area that has suffered from a spate of such burglaries.

 

The wardens and PCSOs will be delivering leaflets and giving advice to people they meet about not opening the door to strangers and being on their guard. The local Tenants’ and Residents’ Association will also be involved.

 

The overall number of burglaries in Sheffield is falling as a result of action taken to make properties more secure, particularly target hardening. In the last 12 months Sheffield Homes has fitted 1400 burglar alarms, and target hardened (fitted new door and window locks) to 1644 properties in Sheffield that have been burgled in the past.

 

Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Advisor for Community Safety said:

"This is all part of the work that Sheffield Homes and the Council are doing to help reduce burglary in Sheffield. As we are making properties more secure, burglary levels are falling, but criminals are finding other ways to steal property, and residents are falling prey to opportunistic thieves. We hope the advice given out will help to prevent further burglaries."

 

To avoid becoming a victim of burglary, people are encouraged to lock their doors and windows at all times, as thieves can even strike while you are elsewhere in the house. People should also avoid opening the door to strangers and if this cannot be avoided, they should ensure they have a chain in place before opening the door. No-one should be let into the home unless they have proper ID - remember, a genuine caller will not mind waiting outside while you check their ID card is valid.

 

The Ecclesfield Safer Neighbourhood Team are currently carrying out an operation in Parson Cross to target offenders and reduce all kinds of crime, including burglary.

 

Sgt Andy Padgett from the team said:

"Working with other agencies like this is a great way to communicate with more local people, reassure them and give important crime reduction advice. But it also emphasises that policing and community safety are not issues that concern only the police. Everyone can play a part in reducing crime, including the residents themselves."