Batten Down the Hatches
Residential burglary offences in Banyule have reduced by 20% and by over 100% by value of items stolen over past year, during substantial lockdown periods.
Annual decline since 2017, which along with 2014 were peak burglary years, has reduced by 16%. Current low burglary offences have not been recorded for more than a decade and are most likely to increase as residences are vacant during daylight hours.Advances in technology, including CCTV, doorbells incorporating cameras which can allow visual and answering facilities from remote locations via mobile phones and digital door locks along with sophisticated window locks are reducing residential burglary offences. Commercial burglary has had a higher rate of decline due to a higher uptake rate of technological preventative measures.
Aggravated residential burglary is currently half that of 2017 and the rate of decline during the past year of lockdown periods is 36 %, which compares most favourably with some LGAs which have experienced much lower reductions of less than half that of Banyule.
Many residents during lockdown have become lacks when it comes to locking doors, even when at home. If your residence is going to be vacant for much of the day, ensure your house is secure, visible and appear occupied. Burglars do not want to be seen, so make house visible from street. Remove items such as ladders, wheelie bins, garden tools and other items which could assist burglars. When absent for a considerable period, install indoor light on timer switch, have trusted neighbour remove mail and arrange to have garden maintained.
A good neighbour is excellent security. Help each other for mutual benefit.
If a trusted neighbour is not possible, inform local police when absent from residence for long periods, having a party or reporting non–urgent crime or events by calling Police Assistance Line (PAL) on 131 444 or submit an online report.Consider installing remote access doorbell. When not at home and a person rings your doorbell, have the video vision on your smart phone and answer as though you are at home from wherever you are, at home or away.
There is no wiring required when installing, as it operates on WIFI and 4 AA batteries at a cost of less than $100, depending on model and sourcing.
Security experts often suggest not leaving cash and jewellery in the master bedroom walk in robe because they know during a break–in, this is one of the likely areas within a home that a thief will target first.
Jewellery is by far the most often stolen item by value in Banyule burglaries. It’s always best to store irreplaceable items like family heirlooms, expensive diamonds etc. in a concealed and fitted safe, professionally bolted to the floor or wall, with the safe protected by an alarm with back to base monitoring.
Front Door Peep Holes
Avoid opening the door to someone you don’t trust or know. Good locks, a security door, intercom and a peephole are all inexpensive crime prevention steps you can take to harden entry to your home
Parcel Boxes for Shopping Online
With today’s booming online shopping industry, it is time the modest letter box made the transition into the future residential parcel box for home delivery. A wide range of secure parcel boxes have been developed to receive letters, parcels and grocery deliveries from any delivery company. Cost around $400.
Parcels deposited through the flap cannot be retrieved by petty thieves after the parcels are deposited through a stainless steel flap.
Parcel Boxes include industry leading features such as insulation for grocery deliveries and an electronic security lock. The Parcel Box range is an affordable and necessary alternative to the dying household letterbox!
An Australia Post parcel box is also worth considering.
If your car number plates are not already secured with security one-way screws (OWS), replace them by obtaining a pack of OWS from nearest Police station or Neighbourhood Watch for cost of gold coin. OWS are as easy to fit as conventional screws, but most difficult to remove. Police and licenced removal tool operators can remove OWS when required.
Securely garage your car where possible and always lock your car even if parked in driveway. 70% of late model cars are stolen with their own keys, often stolen from inside the owner’s house. Keep keys out of sight inside your house and lock garage door, house doors and windows when vacant.
Install a car anti-theft device such as an immobiliser, visible locking device, ignition shield or battery isolator. Immobilisers protect your car by temporarily interrupting the power supply to two of the three systems – the fuel pump, starter motor or ignition – required to start the vehicle. The engine will not start unless the immobiliser receives the correct electronic code from its deactivating device.
If car needs to be parked in street, park in well lit area and ensure plates are secured with OWS. When parked off street for a considerable time, consider removing plates if not secured with OWS. At all times when parked in public, ensure valuables are secure, removed or not visible.
