Humberside Police - protecting communities, targeting criminals

Safer Homes

The Safer Homes initiative sets out what we will do to deliver the best possible service to victims of burglary.

It involves recording and responding to burglaries as quickly as possible, doing a thorough job of the investigation, using officers with additional training and support and using developments in forensic techniques to identify burglars, arrest them and bring them to justice.

Prevention is an equally important part of the strategy and when victims of burglary come to us for help we will provide them with proper assessments of the vulnerability of their home and practical advice and materials to help ensure that they do not become victims again

On the whole, burglary is an opportunist crime. A burglar will select his or her target because it offers the best opportunity to commit crime without fear of detection and with the fewest number of obstacles in the way. A building that presents itself as unoccupied and insecure is far more likely to be targeted than one which is properly secured. In fact, statistics show that if householders were to keep their doors locked and windows closed, around 50% of all burglaries to the home could be prevented.

As the weather gets warmer, people will automatically spend more time outside in the garden or leave doors and windows open to let air into the house. Open or unlocked windows and doors are an open invitation for sneak-in burglars. It only takes a few minutes for a thief to grab things like car keys, mobile phones, handbags or wallets.

It is not enough for the police alone to fight crime. Reducing the risk of crime and fear of crime is a task for the police and the community working together. You can help yourself by taking a few common sense measures to beat the burglar:

  • If you are in the back garden, make sure your front is locked.
  • If you are upstairs, make sure that ground floor windows and doors are secure.
  • Take advantage of safety features you already have, such as safety catches on windows or door chains.
  • Don't leave garden tools out as they can be used to force entry to your property.
  • Remember that untrimmed hedges or high fences prevent natural surveillance and can allow a prospective burglar to attack your home without being seen.

Further advice on preventing crime can be obtained from members of your Neighbourhood Policing Team or from one of our specialist Crime Reduction Officers: