Keeping crime off the menu
Warwickshire County Council’s community safety team has produced a menu warning residents of the opportunities available to criminals over the Christmas period.
Menus have been distributed to targeted households in Rugby, Nuneaton and North Warwickshire.
The menu is actually advice on avoiding seasonal crimes. Car crimes comprise the starters, main courses are domestic burglaries, desserts are bicycle crimes or thefts from gardens whilst coffee and mints are actually warnings not to buy cheap goods unless sure of the source.
Among the tips are:
· Not leaving presents clearly visible in cars
· Not leaving keys in ignitions when clearing windscreens or delivering cards and presents
· Not leaving presents clearly visible to passers by eg under trees
· Making sure to keep car keys and handbags hidden to prevent opportunist theft from houses
· Leaving drinks alone in pubs and clubs and risk drink spiking
Cllr Richard Hobbs, portfolio holder for community protection, said: “Christmas offers criminals many more opportunities than they get at other times of the year. Don’t give them that chance!
“They know that people are buying valuable goods that can be shifted very quickly and that it is easy to get distracted at such a busy time.
“The menus are going to areas where we have noted an increased density of Christmas crimes in recent years, reminding people of the sensible steps they can take to avoid having their holidays ruined by crime.”