October 21 and a week around it mark Europe as a focus day against home theft, drawing public attention to security risks in real estate. According to the data of the State Police, most thefts in long-term neglected properties take place between November and April, which coincides with the time when residents have left their summer houses unattended during the cold season. In order to reduce the number of thefts, the State Police and Gjensidige Latvia urge residents not to be indifferent to their property, but to winter the summer house, or prepare it for winter, thus taking care of the security of both the property and the belongings.
Every year, there are about 330 thefts from summer houses and garden houses. These are often cases where the summer house is left unattended for a long time. Dwellings that were last stolen in December (15%), November (12%) and January (10%), or in the cold season of the year, were most often stolen during long absences (20-200 days). This means that it is important to do everything possible in the autumn to minimize the risk of theft.
In summer houses and garden houses, thieves most often break in through doors or windows. When breaking through a door, the locks or the door itself are most often broken, but in the case of windows, its glass is most often broken, sometimes the window is also broken, squeezed or removed. Sometimes thieves can access the coveted in a free way – through an unlocked door or a closed window. Experience also shows that a thief often has easy access if the belongings are left in an open garden area.
Sanda Gailāne, a senior specialist of the Prevention Management Division of the State Police, invites residents to think about the safety of their summer property now, so that they do not face unpleasant surprises in the spring: It is important to maintain it in winter as well, giving the impression that someone comes to the property regularly. If this is not possible, you can ask a trusted neighbor to do so. It would even recommend providing an alarm system and security company surveillance on the property, as well as thinking about other long-term security solutions – secure door locks and a spatial plan that prevents the thief from getting caught unnoticed by neighbors. ”
Any things left behind are stolen from the cottages, including kitchen utensils and dishes, electronics (eg TV, DVD players), household appliances (hobs, vacuum cleaners, heaters), bicycles, food, mowers, trimmers. It is most often found that various tools left in the summer house have been stolen. There are cases when summer houses become not only a target for thieves, but also a home. According to the information of the State Police, there are times when a bad person has not only broken into, but has lived in a summer house undisturbed for some time and even left his belongings behind.
However, theft is not the only risk to be taken into account when leaving property uninhabited for a long time. Gjensidige Latvija Risk engineer Juris Puriņš emphasizes that as often as in the case of thefts, people turn to insurers in cases where property has been flooded, electrical equipment has been damaged due to short circuits or even fires have erupted, trees and broken glass have fallen during storms. .
“If we do not want to face losses in the spring, we have to take the wintering of the summer house very seriously. Basic steps must be taken, from disconnecting electrical appliances, closing windows and installing safe switches, to disconnecting the electricity and water supply and cutting down the branches of dry trees. We also recommend regularly reviewing your property to spot and minimize potential loss. ” explains J.Puriņš.
For Focus Theft Day:
In 2019, the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN) and 12 European countries launched the first EU-wide focus day on housing theft. Focus Day aims to step up the fight against this crime by alerting and informing citizens about how to protect themselves. The initiative is planned as an annual event and aims to encourage citizens to protect their homes through a prevention campaign and local initiatives.
In 2020, a focal day against home theft will be celebrated on 21 October in 26 European countries. This year, Latvia will focus on how to protect summer houses that are left unattended for a long time during the winter. The 26 participating European countries are Austria, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal. , Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia.
Website with security tips: https://www.drossmajoklis.lv/
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