According to the 'Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia' data of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of victims of all three property crime offence categories - Unlawful entry with intent, Motor vehicle theft and Other theft - increased in Australia.
In 2015, Unlawful entry with intent increased by 1% (2,637 victims), Motor vehicle theft by 3% (1,432 victims) and Other theft by 5% (23,364 victims).
Increases in all three property crime offence categories occurred in Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
So, keeping in mind the recent spate of thefts and armed burglaries, here are top 10 holiday security tips from Neighbourhood Watch to make your home a bit safe from burglars when you are in India.
1. Plans - Do not discuss your holiday plans in presence of strangers or on public transport.
2. Newspapers - Before leaving cancel newspaper and deliveries.
3. Post - Request the post-office to keep your letters or ask a close friend to check and collect it from your house.
4. Documents - Important documents related to banking and valuables should be left with close friends or relatives or in a locker.
5. Luggage - Do not make your home address clearly visible on your luggage.
6. Lawn - If you have a lawn or a garden then it is best to cut it and trim all long trees and plants.
7. Shed items - Keep bicycle or valuable tools inside your house for extra protection.
8. Lived in Look - Leave some curtains a bit open, leave old clothing on the line, shoes on the doorstep, and install an automatic timer to switch on and off the lights at night.
9. Doors and security - Lock all doors and if you have a security system then turn it on.
10. Phone - Divert all landline numbers to your mobile or do not leave a holiday message on your answering machine.
As part of our duty of care, good neighbors who sight unknown persons or suspicious activity are always encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at .
