By Charlene Gatt
FOOTSCRAY residents are being warned to beef up their home security after an RACV report found it was the second most burgled suburb in the state.
The research revealed one in 20 Footscray homes were broken into in the past 12 months, while nearby suburb Ardeer took top spot with one in 15 homes.
Five suburbs in the West made the top 10, including Braybrook, Wyndham Vale and Hoppers Crossing.
Recent Victoria Police figures show a 46.5 per cent spike in residential burglaries across Maribyrnong over the 2010-11 financial year, with 876 offences recorded.
“The top three suburbs recorded rates of between one in 15 and one in 25 homes. These are significantly higher than last year’s top three most burgled suburbs, which recorded burglary rates of between one in 26 and one in 28,” RACV Home Services general manager Peter Brindley said.
Mr Brindley said the figures should serve as a timely reminder for people to take the necessary precautions to ensure their homes are secure.
“Installing a burglar alarm and connecting a professional home security monitoring service to an existing or new burglar alarm, is one of the most effective ways to deter thieves,” he said.
“Another easy way to improve home security and reduce the risk of a burglary is to ensure doors and windows are secured by quality locks which are made to Australian standards.
“One more simple measure to deter burglars is to keep your garden well-trimmed to remove potential hiding spots for burglars.”
