Laois Offaly Gardaí give advice on theft prevention measures

As the dark evenings approach, gardaí continue to work with communities to prevent and detect burglaries.

“As landlords we can do things to reduce opportunities and increase the risk of criminals being caught,” he explained Laois Offaly Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant Graham Kavanagh.

According to gardaí, keeping a burglar out starts with keeping the doors closed. An open door is an invitation onto a property, but if a criminal has to climb over a door or wall, they know that trespassing increases their chances of being caught.

Homeowners are advised to turn on lights, use timer switches, lock all doors and use alarms to deter burglars. Cash and jewelery continue to be targets, so people are advised not to keep large amounts of cash at home and to consider using a certified safe if there is expensive jewelery on the property.

It has become clear during the pandemic that burglars do not generally target occupied properties, so making a home appear occupied can be a great deterrent. Smart home security devices like video doorbells are a great tool for protecting homes when people aren’t around

These systems, which are more cost-effective than traditional CCTV systems, can be self-installed and allow the homeowner to watch the live feed from the camera via a smartphone even when he is not at home. More importantly, they allow people to talk to the caller remotely, giving the impression that someone is at home.