From a police perspective: Don’t be a “2 in 1” victim

This month, Sgt David Lonsdale shares some simple security measures that will help to ensure the safety or your home and vehicles. The term 2 in 1 burglary is used when there are two offences in one. For example, when vehicle keys have been stolen in order for an offender to take a car/van from outside a property.

Offenders often gain access to houses overnight by forcing entry, or by using cat flaps and letterboxes to insert an instrument into the property, to then unhook keys from nearby hangers.

Here are some simple security measures that can be taken:

• Keep all keys safe and out of sight. Never hang them near doors where they could be removed through either a letterbox or an open window.

• Never leave house or car keys in an obvious place, like a handbag or a key bowl.

• Always keep your vehicle locked and secured. If your car doesn’t have an alarm/immobiliser, consider having one installed.

• Also consider additional security for your vehicle, such as a steering wheel lock. Steering wheel locks and gear level locks are often all that is required to deter a thief.

• Never leave any property in your car or van when it is unattended. It takes criminals seconds to smash a window and grab any valuables.

• There is also a growing trend for work vans to be targeted, so try to keep valuable tools in your home, whenever you’re away from your vehicle for any period of time.

Offenders are always identifying locations and vehicles to commit crimes at a later date. This could be someone looking around an area during the day, or even pretending to be a door to door salesperson. And if you’re selling your car or van via a newspaper or website, you’ll usually have callers coming to view the vehicle in question.

If you receive a visit from a suspicious cold caller, give Humberside Police a call on the 101 non-emergency line to report your concerns.