The Lincolnshire Police are urging residents to keep their homes secure as part of the “Lock Up, Light Up” campaign, which is part of the broader “Beating Burglary Together” initiative. 

The Beating Burglary Together initiative, launched on June 19, 2023, aims to curb burglary in Lincolnshire. The efforts include informing residents of burglary hotspots and providing crime prevention advice.

The “Lock Up, Light Up” campaign, in particular, warns residents that burglars are more likely to target dark homes, as well as urges them to leave lights on in their homes, especially when out, to deter criminals.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 191,490 home burglaries reported across England and Wales in 2022/2023. This means an average of 525 burglaries were committed daily, or one burglary every 165 seconds.

Most burglars (70 percent) entered through the door, with only 30 percent breaking in through a window. Notably, 60 percent of burglaries occur in the evening or at night, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“When the evenings are dark, it’s a gift to burglars. They can make an assumption that a home without lights on in the early evening is unoccupied,” said Detective Chief Inspector Jo Fortune, Lincolnshire Police’s force lead for burglary.

“If you leave a light on, or have a light set on a timer switch, you reduce that risk of an opportunist burglar targeting your home.”

Burglaries in Lincolnshire, specifically, peaked in October 2022 with 202 offences, a significant increase over the monthly average of 137 crimes in the previous month.

Recent cases

The most recent burglary cases in Lincolnshire are the Sturrock Court, Grantham case and a string of burglaries across North East Lincolnshire. 

In the first case, burglars forced entry to a Sturrock Court home and stole an iPad and cash. The burglary occurred overnight, between 11 p.m. on Saturday, October 30 and 9 a.m. on Sunday, October 1.

In the second case, Linton Doherty, a 20-year-old man with no fixed abode, targeted several homes across North East Lincolnshire. He was charged with four counts of burglary and the theft of a motor vehicle. The burglaries occurred on Friday, September 29 and Tuesday, October 3. 

Doherty was arrested on Tuesday, October 10, and is now under police custody. He is scheduled to appear at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court next Monday.

In addition, Lincolnshire Police recently investigated a series of burglaries in which car keys were targeted to steal cars. Fortune said keeping car keys inaccessible and hidden is another way to reduce the risk of a home break-in and car theft.

“We have examples where keys were fished out through letterboxes or open windows – this can’t happen if you get in the habit of keeping them well away from your door and out of sight,” he said.

Additional advice

Lincolnshire Police also shared additional advice to keep your home safe from burglars at night.

First, upgrade your house’s locks to professionally fitted anti-snap locks. To find a local locksmith, you can visit the Master Locksmiths Association website.

Second, log your valuables for free and record their serial numbers on Immobilise, the UK national property register. This not only aids police investigations but also increases the likelihood of recovering your property if it gets stolen.

You can also join your local Neighbourhood Watch program to connect with like-minded neighbours. By collectively keeping watch and staying vigilant, you contribute to deterring potential criminals from your area.

Hiring security companies like Marengo can also be an option, especially for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). They have the experience and expertise to identify and mitigate security risks, and they can conduct security assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities in a home’s security system and physical structure. They can also develop and implement tailored security plans to address these vulnerabilities.