Dear Residents of Newington,

There was an incident reported to the police in the early hours on Wednesday 20th September whereby it is alleged 8 people (No descriptions given) were trying to get into an address along Watling Drive. No entry was gained, no damage was caused and following a quick police response, no suspects were located. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please make contact with Kent police via the Kent police website and quote police reference *20-0144.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you of ways that you can keep your property safe.

Seven facts about residential burglary

Burglars are often opportunistic thieves who prey on houses and flats. They seek out any opening that they can take advantage of, specifically doors and windows that are left open or unlocked or are easy to force. Anything of value that they might spot through a window will only spur them on. But it really doesn’t take much to deter these thieves – just smart thinking.

Burglar facts

• Burglars target homes that they think will contain valuables. A sure giveaway is leaving packaging from expensive items outside your front door
• Burglars often look for homes with windows or doors left open or with vulnerable features that they can exploit.
• Burglars are aware of the times when someone is expected to be away from their house such as during the school run or holidays
• Burglars typically do not want to be seen or heard and if they feel that they would be noticed by a neighbour or passer-by then they are more likely to feel exposed and may move on to find somewhere else to burgle
• Burglars often choose a home because they’ve spotted a specific vehicle, motorcycle or bicycle they want to steal – and the keys are more than likely to be inside the residence
• Sheds and garages are often vulnerable as they are not that secure and contain tools which the burglar can use to assist them to gain entry to a home
• It’s a fact that many burglars return to homes that they’ve previously burgled because the homeowner failed to upgrade security following the first burglary. They sometimes return to an area to try to burgle a nearby home that they spotted while committing a previous break in. Even more reason for you to ensure you keep your home as safe as houses

Door and window lock advice

Your home is only as secure as its weakest point of entry. That’s why it’s so important to have doors and windows that are as secure as possible. In this section you’ll find lots of advice on how to keep potential burglars out.

Double secure

Simply shutting the door won’t prevent burglaries. Double-lock the door every single time you leave the house.

Modern multi-locking and uPVC doors use a system of hooks and latches to secure the door but these only work if you lift up the handle and then remember to turn and remove the key. Remember – lift, lock and remove.

Doors and windows

Controlling access to your home starts with securing doors and windows. To see how your home compares and to get more advice with our top tips, visit our pages on Control access with doors you can trust and Prevent access through your windows.

Domestic CCTV

There are many domestic CCTV systems on the market to help you protect your home and your household members. This includes video doorbells that can help you know who or what is at your door.

Be aware though that if you’re thinking of using one, you need to make sure you do so in a way that respects other people’s privacy. Please refer to guidance on what steps you need to take to safeguard people's privacy.

Kind regards,

Jez

Message Sent By
Jez Chittim
(Police, Kent PC, Swale Neighbourhood Officer)