WIRRAL AREA.
Christmas Crime Prevention Message.
(“Don’t gift wrap Christmas for thieves”)
‘Traditionally, Christmas a time of peace and good will to all men/women. Sadly, there are a few unfortunate individuals in society who do not share this point of view, and utilise the Festive Season to commit opportunistic crime. Help to thwart these ‘Scrooges’and make sure you have a happy and safe Christmas by heeding the following advice: –
In the Home.
Avoid leaving piles of wrapped up presents under the Christmas tree, as this will make life very easy for a burglar. Make sure they are stored in an upstairs bedroom, and preferably out of sight in a wardrobe. The kids will no doubt ‘root them out’ but it will certainly hinder and delay any intruders. Similar precautions should be taken with cash, credit cards and house or car keys.
A lot of people tend to socialise more during the festive Season, so make sure all windows and doors are locked before leaving the house for the evening, and if you have an alarm, remember to set it. Try to give your house the ‘occupied look’ by leaving a downstairs light on, and a TV or radio.
In the Car.
When shopping in the car, do not leave presents, coats or any other belongings on view in the car. These will be an obvious temptation to thieves who often cause considerable damage when breaking into vehicles. Satellite Navigation Systems, and mobile phones should always be removed from the vehicle where possible, as these items currently top the list of goods most wanted & stolen by thieves. Try to avoid returning to your car to off-load items you have just purchased, and go back and carry on shopping.
Always park in a well-lit area, and try to use car parks that have been granted the Police approved, Secured Car Park award. The Grange Car Park in Birkenhead is a member of this scheme.
On foot.
Christmas is the busiest shopping period of the year, and of course, town centres and other shopping areas become very crowded with shoppers. This, unfortunately, also presents ‘pick pockets’ and other thieves, with the ideal environment to commit crime in. When you are shopping, it is very important to ensure your wallet, purse and credit cards are kept in an inside, preferably zipped, jacket pocket. Only keep items such as handkerchiefs, hairbrushes etc in handbags, if you need to carry them.
Always stick to the well-lit, main shopping areas of town, which also have the benefit of CCTV and additional Police Officers. Avoid taking short cuts through dark side streets/passageways where offenders are more likely to operate.
Try to use ATM’s during the daytime and check to see who is in your immediate vicinity, before withdrawing cash. If you think there is someone hanging around who appears a bit suspicious, call back later or use another machine. The chances are, your ‘gut reaction’ was probably right, and only carry the amount of cash that you are likely to need for the shopping trip.
On a final note, alcohol can give people a sense of well being, and also a false sense of security. If you are out, enjoying a few ‘amber nectars’, avoid walking on your own, and stick with a group of friends. Although taxis are sometimes hard to come by, it is worth waiting for a while, and certainly a lot safer, than walking home in the early hours of the morning’
If you have any information on criminals active in your area, that might assist the Police, you can also ring the confidential CrimeStoppers line on 0800 555 111.
