Four out of five burglaries happen when a house or flat is empty, so it is worthwhile taking a few precautions to help keep your house secure.  The following suggestions may help you to plan ahead and give you peace of mind while you are away:-

• Make your home appear as if someone is living in it.  Don't close your curtains - in daytime this shows that the house is empty.  Use automatic time switches to turn your lights on when it goes dark.
  
  
• Cancel any milk or newspaper deliveries.
  
  
• Avoid discussing holiday plans where strangers may hear details of your absence from home.
  
  
• Cut the lawn before you go and trim back any plants that burglars could hide behind.
  
  
• Consider leaving important documents and valuable items with other family members or a bank.  Or lock them in a safe.
  
  
• Do not have your home address showing on your luggage for the outward journey.  Put this only on the inside of your cases.
  
  
• If you normally leave valuable pedal cycles or similar items in your shed, consider putting them in the house.
  
  
• Lock the garage and shed with proper security locks after putting all your tools safely away so that they cannot be used to break into your house.  If you have to leave a ladder out, put it on its side and lock it to a secure fixture with a 'close-shackle' padlock and heavy-duty chain.
  
  
• Ask your neighbour to keep an eye on your home while you are away - they could collect post left, sweep up leaves and even mow the lawn and generally make the place look lived in: you could repay the favour by doing the same for them.
  
  
• Finally, make sure that you have locked all outside doors and windows and, if you have a burglar alarm, make sure that it is set.
  
  

If you would like to have details of neighbourhood Watch please contact.
Clive Stewart, Essex Police, Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator
Braintree District.  Tel: 01376 556 282.