SaferMK is advising residents to ‘Lock it Light it’ as part of a campaign to prevent house burglary during the dark winter nights.

The ‘Lock it Light it’ campaign is being launched on Monday (26/10), to coincide with the clocks going back at the weekend and a seasonal rise in the number of house burglaries committed. Last year in Milton Keynes, there were 16 more burglaries in November after the clocks went back than in the previous month.

Richard Solly, SaferMK manager said: "With the clocks going back and the evenings getting darker earlier, SaferMK are working with our partners to make Milton Keynes residents safer in their homes over the winter period. By taking a few simple precautions you can greatly reduce your chance of becoming a burglary victim. Remember to Lock it Light it!"

As part of the ‘Lock it Light it’ campaign, SaferMK will be handing out free light timer switches and energy saving light bulbs at a number of locations across the city. The free timers and energy saving light bulbs will be available at the following locations next week:

Monday 26 October    Sainsburys opposite The Hub     10am – 12pm

Tuesday 27 October     Midsummer Place    Midday – 2pm

Wednesday 28 October    Tesco at Wolverton    10am-12pm

Thursday 29 October    Olney market    9am – 12pm

Friday 30 October    Kingtson near Tesco    10am – 1pm

Thames Valley Police Crime Reduction Advisor Ed Allington, said: “Burglars tend to be opportunists and they will look out for certain things to indicate if the house is empty. If your house is in darkness it tells a potential burglar that no one is home and makes that house a more appealing target. By giving the timer switches away we hope to make more people aware of what steps they can take to make their homes safer.”

“Combining the timer switch with an energy saving light bulb, you have a cheap and effective way of reducing your chances of becoming a victim of burglary.”

A ‘Lock it Light it’ postcard has also been produced, giving residents advice on how to make their houses as safe and secure as possible this winter:

Make your house look occupied when you are out, use a light timer switch. Don't just leave a hall or landing light on
Shut and lock doors and windows when a room is unoccupied
Don’t leave any keys near to your letterbox or cat flap where a burglar can hook them out
Valuable items including laptops, game consoles and jewellery should be kept out of sight
Security mark all valuables with your postcode and house number and keep a record of the property you have marked
Register items such as mobile phones, sat navs, jewellery, game consoles and MP3 players for free with Immobilise: www.immobilise.com
Join a local Neighbourhood Watch Group
For more information about the campaign and advice on how to keep your house safe, go to www.safermk.com. You can also contact your local Thames Valley Police crime prevention advisor on the non emergency number 0845 8 505 505 or contact your neighbourhood police team.