Editorial: Time to step up security

Linda Hall, Assistant Editor, Hawke's Bay Today.

As the silly season approaches at an alarming rate, sadly it's also time to be more security conscious.

The thieves in our community know that it's about this time of year people start shopping, many of them carrying cash for once.

Parcels get left in cars and presents get taken home.

I know I get paranoid at this time of the year having been burgled just before Christmas several years ago - it's not nice.

Every year we hear terrible stories about thieves taking children's Christmas presents, wrecking Christmas light displays and generally upsetting other people's lives.

They may be just possessions but there a lot of people in our community who save all year so they can buy gifts for their loved ones.

Then along comes some scoundrel, who most likely hasn't worked a day all year, and helps themselves without a care to the victims.

So whether we like it or not we should be vigilant. Don't leave your parcels in view and certainly don't leave wallets or handbags in the car.

I think men are guilty of this more than women - probably because they only have a wallet and phone to carry. So the phone goes in the pocket and if they don't need the wallet, it stays in the car.

Whereas women have handbags filled with things they may or may not need during the day so they rarely get left behind.

Don't give some loser the opportunity to take what you have worked for. If you are tempted to leave your wallet in the car, even if it doesn't have any cash in it, think of the inconvenience of replacing cards and your licence which most likely lives in your wallet. Take it with you.