Christmas Safety.
The best Christmas Present to yourself and family could be: Crime Prevention Follow these simple tips for a Safer Christmas.
Whilst out shopping:
Make sure you park your car in a well lit public place, avoid isolated dark areas and do not leave objects on display, to a thief your car is a display case on wheels.
If you have to return to the car to unload purchases make sure that they are locked out of sight. try not to do this too often.
It might be prudent to make more than one trip to the shops rather than leave the unattended car loaded up with expensive items.
To a thief, your car is little more than a glass display case on wheels!
Avoid carrying too much around with you, the more bags you’ve got the more vulnerable you are to street crime.
Keep your purse or wallet somewhere close to your body where you can feel it. Keep your chequebooks and cheque cards separately.
If you take a tea or lunch break, don’t leave your bags unattended, not even for a few seconds.
Because of the tendency for everyone to be in a rush over Christmas, credit card theft can increase as people are less careful with their plastic.
Card crime not only involves someone stealing your card but also skimming, which is a method of illegally obtaining your card details by swiping your card through a small card reader. The details can then be used to make a counterfeit copy. This could happen anywhere you might pay with a credit card.
Be extra vigilant at cash machines, you should report anything which looks out of place on the machine, particularly anything attached to the card entry port, or anyone you see hanging around in the vicinity of the machines.
Make sure no one can see you entering your personal identification number (PIN) and do not walk away from the machine with cash in your hand for everyone to see.
At Home
Keep receipts and instruction manuals separate so that should the worst happen, you have evidence of what was taken.
Empty boxes and packaging left outside will advertise the fact that these goods are available inside! Dispose of packaging carefully.
Try not to position the Christmas tree right by a window. This may attract attention to presents from anyone looking in.
It is best not to put the presents under the tree too long before Christmas. The longer they are on display the more opportunity there is for a burglary to take place.
When out of the house make sure all your doors and windows are locked. After dark make it look as though someone is at home by leaving lights on or a radio playing.
If you’re going to be out for a longer period, say over night, use timing switches on lights around the house.
If you are away over the holiday make sure that you cancel the milk, papers etc, try and arrange for a neighbour to check your property and pick up the mail, or contact the Post Office and have the mail re-directed.
Out and About
With office parties and general Christmas celebrations, pubs, restaurants and other venues are often crowded.
Don’t leave bags over the back of your chair and keep wallets and purses close to your body to make it more difficult for the pick pocket. Busy places make life easier for these type of thieves so be alert at all times.
Make prior arrangements as to how you will get home. Avoid potential disturbances in the street and stay with your friends if possible.
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Local Police Services
Police Services Open 24/7 throughout the Christmas and New Year Holidays
In an emergency always ring 999
For non-emergency policing, anti-social behaviour, community safety advice, information and action ring 101 (calls cost a flat rate of ten pence).
Call 0845 045 45 45 if you wish to speak to a police officer or staff member or report a crime (calls are charged at the local rate).
View ‘Crime Prevention for a Safer Christmas’
Have a Happy and Safe Christmas on the Isle of Wight.
