Operation Castle stamping out burglary

As part of Operation Castle, the countywide anti-burglary initiative, West Kent Police continues its endeavours to stamp out burglary. The county operation, which started on 1 November and runs until New Year’s Eve, aims to protect householders at a time when it is known that burglars are at their most active, as they target homes as people prepare for Christmas.

In West Kent the operation is timely as there has been an increase in burglaries in the past 3 months. Prior to Operation Castle police had already implemented a number of measures to prevent burglaries and these have been stepped up as the operation continues. Among the tactics being used by West Kent Police are road checks at strategic locations and increased patrols in those areas that are known targets for burglars. Other covert measures are also being employed.

DCI Martin Very said: “In West Kent we know that historically most burglaries are committed by criminals who travel into the area and we want them to know they are not welcome.”

“We have already asked residents to report suspicious people and vehicles and the response to this has been fantastic. If you think a suspicious person has come to your property let us know about footprints they may have left. We can record these and they can be used for investigative purposes. Other precautions people can take are ensuring doors and windows are closed and properly secured, especially at night.”

"If you are out, use timers to automatically switch lights on and off so that your home looks occupied and don't leave keys anywhere near doors and windows. Keep all valuables out of sight and don't advertise the fact you have new items by leaving empty boxes outside.”

"If you don't already have these, add them to your Christmas list as a valuable present to yourself: security door locks, window locks, security lights, timer switches for lights, an alarm system, and any other security device that will act as a deterrent. A property marking pen is also a useful.”