Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership is offering tips to ensure your peace of mind while you are away on holiday by making sure your home is secure. Almost half of all burglaries happen when a house or flat is empty but the risk can be reduced by taking simple safety measures. Police community safety officer PC Rob Chapman said: “It’s a good idea to get help from family members or your neighbours. You could ask them to collect post, park in the drive, mow the lawn, open and close curtains, and so on. Anything to make the place look lived in. “Don’t advertise the fact that you are going away. For instance, don’t stand around with your cases waiting for a taxi. Simply pack your things, pack the car and go.” He also advised letting a neighbour know when you are on holiday and how to contact you, or someone who can act on your behalf, in an emergency.

Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership is offering the following tips to improve the security of your shed, outbuilding or garage this summer. Cover any windows with a curtain etc to stop prying eyes. Lay gravel around the door area (hard to walk on quietly) If possible fit bars on the inside of windows. Consider using extra internal bolts that drop into the floor for Up & Over garage doors. If you have wooden shed doors, check that the hinges and fixings are secured with coach bolts and not just screws. Fit a quality padlock and hasp, not a cheap one. Consider fitting a security light that has a built in sensor. Consider fitting a garage / shed alarm, no wires and can be fitted in about 5 minutes. Always lock your garage and when possible keep the doors closed. Security mark all your property, Use engravers or punches to mark your postcode and surname etc. Use permanent property markers on other types of property such as bikes, lawnmowers, strimmers, hand tools, electrical...

Householders in Carmarthenshire are being urged to help police to continue to beat the burglars – by making their homes more secure. The number of burglaries dropped to 224 across the whole of Carmarthenshire last year and householders are being asked to play their part in ensuring that the fall continues. The Community Safety Partnership’s Acquisitive Crime Action Group, which has representatives from the police, fire and rescue service and Carmarthenshire County Council, has discussed what householders can do to make their homes a harder target for burglars. Burglaries fell by 17 per cent in 2011/12, 224 crimes compared to 270 in 2010/11. That means 46 fewer victims. So far this year, there’s been a further reduction of 23 per cent compared to April-June last year with 13 fewer burglaries. Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member for community safety Cllr Pam Palmer said: “We want to help people to make their homes more secure and to build on the success over the last co...