Taking the time to make sure your home is properly secured before going away could save you some serious grief during the festive period.
Police are reminding locals to lock up and hide their valuables if they’re going out of town for the break.
Bundaberg Senior Constable David Didsman says neighbours can also pitch in to deter thieves.
“Look after the house, collect the mail. Just make sure you mow the lawns and stuff before you go to give the house a lived in appeal. The relationship between you and your neighbour is very important these days,” he says.
“Even crooks have a small amount of brains in their heads and they can tell when someone’s not home so we have to present our home in a way that it looks lived in.”
The RACQ has received 101 break-in claims from Wide Bay residents in the past three years and says incidents spike over the holidays.
“While the pandemic resulted in a drop in break-ins, as more and more people plan to head away over the summer, now is not the time for complacency when it comes to securing our properties,” says the organisation’s Trent Sayers.
“Our research shows three quarters of Queenslanders are concerned about being broken into while away on holidays, with most (67%) taking extra home security measures.”
Senior Constable Didsman has these tips.
“There are lights that you can get that come on at night time in your house. Security cameras are the way to go these days. You can even look at the security footage on your own telephone from thousands of miles away.”
