Important Police Information for People Going on Holiday

By following a few basic safety rules, we can easily avoid burglary and theft of our belongings. Unfortunately, when police officers receive a report of a crime, they often notice right at the beginning that the situation could have been avoided. How? Read on…

Use technical security measures:

• equip doors and windows with suitable security locks – insurance companies and specialist stores have lists of these locks;
• if possible, consider protecting your belongings with an alarm system; choose a company whose security systems qualify you for an insurance discount;
• install anti-pry security devices in the doors or replace old doors installed a dozen or more years ago with ones that guarantee safety;
• install a chain or another device limiting how far the front door can open, as well as a peephole;
• make sure the light in front of the entrance door always works – burglars avoid illuminated places;
• ground-floor and lower-floor apartments are most vulnerable to burglary through balcony doors – it is worth considering installing good handles (key-lockable handles are available) or at least ordinary bolts;
• intercoms are excellent security measures, but remember not to open the door to strangers using the intercom; it is also worth teaching this rule to others.

If you live in a detached house:

• secure it by installing bars on basement windows and consider installing anti-burglary roller shutters on balcony doors or terrace exits, especially those at the back of the building;
• do not forget to secure garage doors and other utility rooms, especially those through which it is easy to enter the house;
• ensure that dark areas around the house are well lit. Thieves strongly dislike well-lit places, as well as all types of video surveillance systems.

Before opening the door to a stranger:

• look through the peephole to see who is on the other side of the door, and if it is someone you do not know, ask the purpose of the visit and request identification. Do so in a way that allows you to read the surname. Remember that an officer in plain clothes is also required to identify themselves. A person with honest intentions will understand your caution and will not be offended;
• you generally know “your” neighbour, postman, meter reader or local police officer. Therefore, be especially cautious if an unknown person appears or someone claims to be an employee of one of these institutions.

Stay vigilant and do not let strangers into your house or apartment, because unfortunately not everyone who knocks on your door has honest intentions!

When leaving home:

• close and lock all windows and doors, because more than 60 percent of burglars enter apartments through a window!
• do not leave keys in “good hiding places” (under the doormat, behind a flowerpot on the windowsill or behind the door frame) – a thief usually knows these places as well as you do;
• putting a child’s apartment keys around their neck is an equally terrible idea – a burglar may obtain such a key or make an impression of it;
• also lock basement windows and those of other utility rooms through which someone could enter the apartment;
• when leaving home in the evening, draw the curtains or lower the blinds and leave a light on in a room – create the impression that someone is at home;
• do not leave any notes on the door stating where you are, because a burglar loves confirmation that the apartment is empty;
• when going out, even briefly, to collect the mail or take out the rubbish, lock the door with a key. A thief does not need much time to break into your apartment.

Get to know your neighbour:

Neighbours who know one another well and are organised can effectively oppose burglaries, thefts, robberies and hooliganism. Talk to your neighbour about safety in your area of residence and agree how to maintain “neighbourhood watch”:

• if you notice anything that causes concern in your area of residence, notify the Police immediately;
• if you hear noises in a neighbour’s apartment and know that the residents have gone away, notify the Police immediately;
• if you see a stranger trying to open a neighbour’s door and know that they are not at home, notify the Police immediately;
• if you notice people behaving suspiciously in a stairwell, on the street or in a car park, notify the Police immediately;
• if you accidentally witness an assault or notice that someone may be in danger, notify the Police immediately;
• if you see a threat, do not put yourself at risk or scare off the criminals; notify the Police immediately.

When leaving your apartment for an extended period (holiday, hospital stay), leave the keys with a trusted neighbour and ask them to:

• turn on lights in different rooms, even if only for a few minutes a day,
• remove your current correspondence from the mailbox.

All this will create the impression that someone is constantly staying in the apartment.

Do not take unnecessary risks:

• avoid keeping large amounts of money and valuable jewellery at home. Such “good hiding places” as a linen cupboard, a flowerpot, books or a sugar bowl are well known to burglars and searched first. Do not talk about your wealth in places where strangers may hear you;
• if you are going away for longer, entrust valuables that are important to you to people you can trust;
• write down the serial numbers of valuable items such as a camera, computer, television, camcorder, video equipment, etc. Mark them individually and permanently in a way invisible to thieves; make a list and, if possible, also prepare photographic documentation of valuable items, including jewellery, antiques, valuable paintings, watches, etc. – in the event of theft, this will significantly increase the chance of recovering them.

Unfortunately, there are no anti-burglary or alarm systems that guarantee 100-percent protection of property against thieves. Alongside securing your apartment with locks, alarms, double doors and so on, do not forget to insure it with an insurance company so that any losses incurred in a burglary can be compensated.

Never forget to inform the Police immediately about your suspicions or a dangerous situation you have just observed. The sooner officers receive the report and go to the scene, the more effectively they can act to eliminate threats or arrest those responsible for burglaries.