At this time of year we often see increases in domestic burglary. Typically in the early evenings, between 16:00 and 18:00. This is partly due the clocks changing and the nights closing in.

In Rugby, Community Safety Project Officer Paul Collett has been trying to challenge this rise with a community safety postal campaign, followed up by door knocking in priority areas.

Special community safety packs have been packed and posted through the ‘Community Payback’ scheme. They contain information on how to protect your home from Community Safety Partnerships and Safer Neighbourhood Trusts, as well as information from Crimestoppers.

The packs have been delivered by the Community Payback offenders to over 8000 homes in Rugby and then followed up with a targeted campaign on the top 5 streets for Burglary. An intelligence-led approach involved looking back over ‘Octobers’ from 2008 to 2012 to identify where the most domestic burglaries occurred so that these streets could be targeted with preventative messages.

Everyone can help themselves at this time. The clocks go back on Sunday 27 October and with this comes much darker early evenings.

Your house being in darkness is a sure sign that no one is at home and can be an invitation to opportunistic thieves. Consider using timer switches around the house to turn on lights and radios before you get home or if you are away for a few days.

Leaving lights on does cost money but it is a small price to pay, especially if using low energy bulbs, compared to the cost of a burglary with the loss of property, insurance claims and repairing damage.

When you are at home and it’s dark outside, close your curtains or blinds to avoid your house looking like a shop window with all your possessions on display to those who walk by.

A high proportion of burglaries are a result of properties being left unsecured while people are in the house. Why wait ’til bed time to lock up?

For more information visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/communitysafety.