Thieves who were thwarted by locks when they tried to steal tools from a container at the under-construction
Cambridge skatepark last Saturday sprayed the ramps with graffiti. And video footage shows the thieves –
who appear to be adults – showed their alliances by spraying the word “H-town” – Hamilton’s moniker.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Dishonesty offences are on my radar this week, specifically commercial and rural burglaries of which we have had a few in recent weeks. It is common for offenders based outside of Cambridge to come into our area and commit crime.
Target hardening of your business place, ensuring security is high, makes it less attractive to thieves and also means that any attempt to break in will take longer, offering more forensic evidence opportunities and increasing the likelihood of them being caught in the act.
Ensure the security at your location is tight. Lock gates, all building access points, utilise monitored security alarms and consider engaging random mobile security patrols. Keep a close control on the number of people who have access to keys and alarm codes and change them as required to keep that circle tight. Install CCTV and check on a regular basis that your systems are fully functioning. Check for holes in your CCTV coverage area and ensure you keep cameras clear of obstructions and insects. The higher quality CCTV footage you can record, the better. Ensure that staff know how to access it. From a crime prevention through environmental design perspective, reduce opportunities for offenders to have natural cover on your work site.
Keep trees trimmed to a high level to remove lower level foliage. Keep shrub plantings low and away from buildings where they may provide cover for an offender attempting to break in. Don’t leave items around a work yard that an offender could either easily move and use to gain access to higher level windows or use to smash their way inside. Have good exterior security lighting.
When it comes to assets, record serial numbers, the make, model and a description of high value assets such as tools and trade equipment. Tracking and recovering stolen items such as power tools is extremely difficult without these key identifiers. Have the information readily accessible so you can provide it to police as soon as possible after any theft.
If you are unfortunate enough to be the victim of a burglary, notify police as soon as possible. Preserve any forensic evidence opportunities. Also keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace for your stolen items. Consider making second hand dealers such as Cash Converters aware of the stolen item serial numbers. The more people are aware, the ‘hotter’ the property and the harder it is for the thieves to get rid of the goods.
As members of the community, we should all be alert for suspicious behaviour, especially late at night and after-hours activity around our commercial and retail businesses. Note descriptions of people and vehicles. If in doubt, report it. Police would much rather have the information than miss out on an opportunity to catch a burglar and prevent a crime spree from continuing. Be burglar aware and stay safe.
