Carmarthenshire burglary warning

Residents in Carmarthenshire are being warned to make sure their summer holidays are not ruined by thieves.
If you are going away this summer then make sure you secure your home to avoid becoming a victim of crime.
Figures show a large number of burglaries in the county are the result of insecure properties or open entry.
During the last three months (April to June) there were 51 house burglaries across Carmarthenshire and 39 per cent (20) of those were due to insecure/open entry.
This means they could have been avoided if residents had taken simple precautions such as locking window and doors.
The figures also show that 57 per cent (29) of those burglaries occurred in empty properties and 19 of those were in homes that were temporarily vacant.
The Community Safety Partnership is now urging householders to be more security conscious, particularly during the summer months when the weather hots up and before going away on holidays.
Community Safety Inspector Tony Ward said: “Carmarthenshire is one of the safest places to live in the UK and the number of burglaries is very low, however, we must not be complacent.
“Figures show that a large number of burglaries in the county are the result of insecure properties and more than half take place in vacant dwellings, so by taking a few simple actions we can make life extremely difficult for the opportunist thief.
“We are urging people to lock windows and doors and keep security in mind at all times, even when they are at home. Residents should take extra care during the summer months and make sure their windows are closed before going out. Valuables such as handbags, car keys and mobile phones, should also be hidden away out of sight and not left on show.
“If you are going away on holiday, make sure you cancel the papers and the milk, and ask a neighbour to pop in and pick up any mail or park their car in your drive. You could also consider getting an automatic timer for your lights or fitting a burglar alarm.
“We do not want to alarm residents, but alert them to some simple crime prevention advice.”
The Community Safety Partnership is made up of representatives from the county council, police, fire service and other agencies, and its aim is to make Carmarthenshire a safer place to live, work and visit for everyone.
Partnership manager Kate Thomas said: “Tackling burglary remains a priority for the partnership. Although relatively low, this type of crime can have a severe effect on the victim in both emotional and financial terms.
“We are making big strides in the fight against crime, but if residents take on board police advice and employ simple preventative measures, we will see even less burglaries.”