It's a festive season for burglars too

CAUTION: Overflowing letterboxes are a clear sign to would-be burglars and thieves you are away on holiday.PHOTO/JOHN BORREN

The Christmas-New Year season is meant to be a festive time but it is also a boom time for sticky-fingered people out and about in greater numbers.

Burglars are opportunists and will wander the streets looking for an easy target, police say.

Police and Neighbourhood Support groups are urging people not to unwittingly invite burglars into their homes by taking a number of safety precautions.

Papamoa Neighbourhood Support coordinator Lorraine Stevens said it was vital people kept their homes and other valuables as secured as possible.

That included not leaving the house and vehicle windows open, even leaving one window slightly ajar was an open invitation, she said.

"Leaving gifts under the Christmas tree or valuables in plain view is not a good idea. For those who have double locks on their windows don't leave them on half-latch, because it would only take someone with a credit card to easily gain access. It's much better to come home to a hot house than an empty one," she said.

Ms Stevens urged people to make sure their house, vehicles, sheds and garages were secured at all times - there had been a recent report from police of a spate of bike thefts around the district.

"For kids who get nice expensive presents such as a new bike don't leave them on the front lawn or parked in an open garage or garden shed, because it is so tempting for an opportunistic thief."

Doing so was tantamount to putting a sign on the door saying "look what I got for Christmas, come and burglar me."

Also never leave empty boxes which contained new purchases or prized Christmas presents outside for recycling, because again it was open invitation.

Lynn Morrison chairman of Tauranga City and Suburbs Neighbourhood Support, said it was especially important at this time of year that neighbours looked out for each other.

Mr Morrison said he urged people to tell their neighbours either side of them and across the road they would be away and ask them to keep an eye on their property, and vice versa.

Anyone going on holiday for even a day or two get someone to clear their mailbox, he said.

Mr Morrison also suggested leaving some towels on the clothesline, putting your lights on automatic timer so they come on at night, and for those who had a second vehicle, to park it in the driveway, locked with valuables removed, of course.

People needed to report any suspicious persons and vehicles in their neighbourhood to police by ringing 111 immediately," he said.

Senior Sergeant Carl Moon, a police intelligence supervisor, said over the past few days there had been a predictable increase in the number of thieves taking advantage of unsecure and openly visible items, leaving people feeling "victimised, vulnerable, and generally ripped off."

"Thieves tend to take the path of least resistance so the harder we can all make it for them the less chance there is of people becoming victims," he said.

People wishing to provide information to police about thieves operating in their community can call the Crimestoppers line anonymously on 0800 555 111.