Heartless crims hit while you are on holidays

Ipswich police issue urgent plea to anyone leaving their property unattended over holiday period

Heartless criminals are targetting Ipswich residents who left properties unattended over the holiday period.

RESIDENTS escaping Ipswich for a much-needed break over the holiday season have been urged to take extra precautions to secure their property.

The warning comes as Ipswich police say opportunistic criminals have taken advantage of the festive period to target unattended houses.

Unfortunately, mother-of-two Amber Heathcote is one of many residents in the area to fall victim to heartless criminals.

The devastated Tivoli woman took to social media Monday morning, stating she had returned home from a recent getaway to find her property had been ransacked.

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Police urge residents to secure their property properly.

“My house got broken into over the Christmas period with everything valuable stolen,” she wrote.

“That includes 2 iPads with Pink flip case, an iPhone XS, 65-inch Sony TV, a 12-speaker Sony Surround Sound System, a laptop and two small TVs.”

Senior Constable Kerrin Sheedy on Monday said many brazen thefts also occurred when residents became complacent.

“So remember to LOCK; lock your home, remove valuables out of sight, call police and keep a look out for any suspicious behaviour,” she said.

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A North Ipswich mother has returned home to find her place ransacked and technology stolen.

In response, Ipswich police released some top tips to help deter would-be criminals:

1. Lock doors and windows

Be extra cautions about this when you leave your house or apartment, even if it is just for a few minutes. Make sure your garage door is closed completely before you drive off.

2. Keep your valuables out of sight

Do not display your property near windows so that they are easily visible from outside of the house. Take a walk around outside to see if valuable are visible through windows

3. Redirect mail to another address

If you are going on holidays, arrange for your mail to be collected or redirected, and newspapers collected or cancelled

Ipswich police say residents should be smart with their hiding spots.

4. Avoid sharing too much on social media

avoid sharing too much information on social media about your movements or what you got from Santa, you don’t want an unexpected visitor stealing your gifts and valuables

5. Get smart with your hiding spots

Do not hide spare keys under rocks in flowerpots, under door mats, or above door ledges. Instead, consider giving the spare key to a trusted family member, friend or neighbour.

6. Dispose of gift boxes properly

After Christmas Day, do not pile up bulky gift boxes in your recycling bin for a passer-by to see. Break the boxes down or cut them up to better conceal the items

7. Wise up when it comes to property security

Turn on lights and a television if you go out for the evening. Do not leave a detailed message on your home answering machine. Make a list of serial numbers and engrave your property.

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