By NICOLE VALICEK
HOBSONS Bay police are warning residents to lock up valuables kept in the home after a spike in burglaries mainly targeting jewellery in the municipality.
Leading Senior Constable Craig McDonald said residents should take a pro-active approach when it comes to home security and should protect valuable items in the home.
Ldg Snr Const Donald said during a recent home burglary in the area 49 pieces of jewellery were taken from one single household.
“It appears that the victims, some of which have had a lot of jewellery stolen have had no system of securing their jewellery and some of this jewellery is quite expensive and also irreplaceable,” he said.
According to the latest Victoria Police statistics, residential burglaries rose by 14.5 per cent from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, when 498 burglaries were reported, compared to 570 from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013.
Ldg Snr Const McDonald described Hobsons Bay as a “sleepy hollow”, and as such any rise in crime including the slight spike in home burglaries was a concern.
He said all items of high value or sentiment must be photographed with a ruler in the picture so the actual size can be seen.
He said police need good clear pictures saved on a disc or other format so they can be easily retrieved if required.
“This is excellent and a great help for police when trying to identify owners of recovered items and is also great for insurance purposes as well,” he said.
He said multiple items of high value should not be left lying around on top of a dresser.
“They must be locked away in a professionally installed safe with other important family documents, passports, birth certificates etc.
“Have a think about this and take steps to better secure your jewellery and other items of value.”
