The Easter holidays are fast approaching, and with corona rules in the last two years, many are probably ready to lighten their journey.
But before you pack your bags and sit in the car on the way to the cabin or on the plane to warmer regions, it is important to keep in mind one important thing: Have you made sure to do what you can to avoid burglary in the home?
The police are now warning against the risk of burglary during the Easter holidays.
Although the police see a decrease in the number of serious thefts in the home, it is still a challenge with burglary when homeowners go on longer vacations.
– BEWARE: Thieves do not take Easter holidays, so beware of burglary! Photo: Sara Johannessen Meek
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– The police have for a number of years registered a decrease in serious thefts from private homes. Nevertheless, it is important to focus on this for preventive purposes, says head of Bergen South police station, Ronny Andre Øvrebotten.
Time-controlled lighting
Øvrebotten says that the Easter holiday can lead to an increased risk of burglary by homes being empty over time. The police therefore come up with some simple tips and advice on how to avoid burglary while on holiday at Easter.
The combination of distance between houses, undisturbed access and lack of supervision, makes it more attractive for thieves to commit burglary and theft from a home, Øvrebotten explains. Furthermore, he says that houses that are marked with an alarm system, and you also have some lights on for parts of the day, are less prone to theft.
But should the lights be on when you go on holiday, you might be wondering? You may not be able to afford a crazy electricity bill?
Øvrebotten says that the technology has come a long way, and that there are smart solutions to just this.
– It is an opportunity to time control the lighting in the home from the mobile. Then you can, for example, leave the light on for one to two hours during the day, or have a small light here and a small light there. Similarly, motion sensors can detect movement in the garage and around the home. This may be because thieves who may be supervising an area may think that there are people at home, he says.
– INVITATION: Ronny André Øvrebotten, police station chief in Bergen south, encourages people to think about what they can do at home to avoid burglary while on holiday. Photo: Tor Henning Flaatten / TV 2
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Neighbor help
Another tip is to make good deals with family or neighbors when you are away. A good neighbor can easily supervise the house, and will react to strangers.
– It is wise to agree that a neighbor can, for example, water plants, take in mail, rubbish bins and so on. Similarly, to put wheelbarrows and garden tools easily visible in the garden, so that it looks like there is activity in the garden. Then unauthorized persons can interpret the changes as movement in the neighborhood and the home, says the station manager.
The quality of the home and accessibility also have a lot to say. Øvrebotten recommends making it difficult to climb up along the facade of your house, by locking the garden ladder to the house wall.
– It is also important that doors and windows have FG-approved locks. It has a lot to say in terms of getting in. If there is noise and it is more difficult to get into a home, it may create reactions in the neighborhood.
– WARNING: The police warn that there may be a risk of burglary during the Easter holidays. Photo: Aage Aune / TV 2
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In addition, it is a good idea to photograph and hide away valuables you have in the house.
– If you have expensive valuables lying around visible such as computers, stereos / TV and so on in the home and the thieves look in, then everything is ready for collection, he says.
– The same applies to the many open garages, where people have expensive winter tires on rims, tools, electric bicycles and garden tools. These are valuables that you should preferably secure separately, possibly locking it into the home, he continues.
Social media
Another good tip is to be aware of what you post on social media.
– You do not have to tell the whole world that you are going on holiday. People do not think much about everything that is shared, and it is definitely a risk to take when you go out on social media and tell where you are going and how long you are away. The same can apply to own children and young people, he says.
– THE THIEF, THE THIEF: A burglar is fast, so take your precautions before you go away on Easter vacation. Photo: Archive / Scan-Photo
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Even though most people no longer have a landline at home, the station manager still wants to give one last piece of advice to those who still have it:
– It is possible to transfer the landline to your own mobile phone. If it rings and rings, it is an indication that no one is home. But if you divert it to your own mobile phone and this is answered, then the thieves will often move on, he says.
Øvrebotten thinks it is good that the focus is on the problems in the media. Still, he does not want to overdramatize the frequency of home burglaries.
– Some attention to the phenomenon, and good risk-reducing measures alone and together with others, will reduce the risk of burglary in your particular home.
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