Secure home before holiday

POLICE are urging people to secure their homes to prevent burglaries, before heading for vacation this summer.
The City of Greater Dandenong has been placed 14th on a list of top Victoria shires hit with residential burglaries during the last financial year. From July 2007 to June 2008, 803 homes were hit, with 142 of the burglaries occurring in January and December, proving that the holiday period is a popular time for burglars to break into homes.
Last January more than 2600 Victorian homes were burgled, following the 2261 burglaries in December 2007.
More than 28,000 homes were burgled in the 2007/08 financial year.
Safer Communities Unit Inspector Hill Wood said home owners should secure their homes and take steps to make them appear occupied while away.
“Burglars will target homes that show signs of being vacant,” she said.
“People have to understand that burglars are very conniving and will often scope out locations before breaking into them. That’s all the more reason to make it look like you’re home.”