As many of you will be aware, one of the current priorities for the Bakewell Safer Neighbourhood Team is Burglary and the other being Road Safety which speeding and dangerous parking offences such as those committed by parking on a white line system.

As part of this Burglary priority the team will be providing crime prevention / target hardening advice in relation to home and outbuildings on our communication channels such as Facebook and Derbyshire Alert as well as offering advice during our community engagement events.

With that mind the following advice in relation to Dwelling Burglary is being circulated.

Please make your home a difficult target.

Inside your home:
• Make it difficult for your valuables to be taken
• Check who’s at the door and don’t open it if you feel anxious.
• Leave some lights on or consider using plug timers if it will be dark before you get home.
• Store keys, including your car keys, out of sight and away from the front door area.
• Hide wallets, identity cards, passports and cash.
• Mark or etach your property with postcode, house, flat number or the first three letters of your house name.
• Take photographs of your valuable items such as jewellery.

Outside your home:
• Install good outside lighting.
• Scale back hedges or fences that prevent people seeing your home.
• Lock doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you are in the garden.
• Cancel milk or other deliveries if you are planning on being away from home.
• Ask a neighbour, friend or relative to keep an eye on your property if you are going away.
• Keep ladders and gardening tools locked away to prevent them being used to gain entry to your home.
• Secure bikes by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage. Install a burglar alarm that can be seen on the outside of the property.

On your street:
• Be a good neighbour and check on your neighbour’s properties if they are away.
• Remove any letters or deliveries from the letterbox or doorway.
• Clear snow to your neighbour’s doors or walk on their paths if they are away – footpaths will make the house appear occupied.
• Consider setting up or joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

Report anything suspicious to police on the following contact methods:
• Website – We have crime reporting tools on our website: use our online contact form
• Facebook – send us private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• Twitter – direct message our contact centre via @DerPolContact
• Phone – call us on 101

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.