Students urged to be security conscious



Issued by North Yorkshire Police

York police are urging students to be more security conscious following two burglaries at a student house in York this week.

As well as taking the most basic security measures in their accommodation, officers are urging students who are returning home for Christmas to take all their valuable belongings with them.

In the early hours of Tuesday 4 December 2012, a student house in York was burgled through an insecure rear door. The burglars walked into the house, entered two unlocked bedrooms and stole electrical equipment including two laptops and an iPod.

Detective Inspector Ian Dyer of York CID, said: “Although York and North Yorkshire are some of the safest areas in the country, do not let your guard down, especially if you have recently moved to private accommodation and are used to the added external security provided by some halls of residence.

“Thieves know that students possess desirable electronic items which provide them with a quick return and they know where and when to target your property. They will be on the look out for signs including items left on view, unlocked doors and open windows and properties left in darkness. So please make their lives as difficult as possible by taking the most basic precautions such as locking your doors and closing the curtains at night.

“If you add up the total cost of your possessions and compare that with the amount you have spent on your security, it’s probably very little, if anything at all. It’s worth investing a small amount to safeguard your hard earned goods.

“Remember, if you are heading home this Christmas, please take all your valuables with you, including laptops and other electrical equipment.”

Please ensure you follow our most basic prevention tips to avoid losing out to criminals:

• Take you valuables home with you when you leave for the holidays
• Always lock your accommodation – whether it’s the main door or your bedroom door
• Make sure you have strong locks on your doors
• Fit timer switches to lights if you are going to be out during the hours of darkness, if a property looks occupied, it is less likely to burgled
• Remember to set timer switches to come on when you are away during holidays
• Don’t leave valuable items on view where opportunist thieves can see them through windows and doors
• Lock your door if you are in halls, even if you are only going down the corridor
• Make sure that main entrance doors shut behind you and don’t let other people in with you
• Don’t advertise your expensive Christmas presents by leaving packaging outside for all to see
• Get home contents insurance. You may be able to extend your parents’ home insurance policy for no extra cost

12.11pm – 6 December 2012



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