Burglaries set to soar as workers return to the office

Police are bracing for a surge in home burglaries, and have issued an urgent safety plea.Increasingly busy train station carparks also loom as a theft hotspot as crooks scour vehicles for valuables such as phones and wallets.Acting Superintendent Mick Logan said police were keen to do all they could to ensure a continued reduction in home burglaries.They’ve been down about 10 per cent compared with the previous year.“We have really enjoyed some good reductions in burglaries since the commencement of COVID.“Most people have been home as a result and that’s a general deterrent.“But we are concerned when people do start going back to work that there are more opportunities for burglaries to reoccur.”
Latest Crime Statistics Agency figures show Victoria recorded 3700 fewer burglary and break and enter offences in the year to September 2020 compared with the previous 12 months.Theft offences were down by more than 8000 during the same period.Superintendent Logan said householders needed to ensure they didn’t forget basic safety measures such as locking up before leaving home, including external gates.Tools, many used during lockdown renovations, should be put away, with some already used to break into homes.

“We’re still enjoying a lower rate of burglaries occurring,’’ Superintendent Logan said. “But that quickly changes. And our intelligence tells us that when the opportunities arise — and they will be soon when people start to go back to work — that the crime will ­recommence. “We can’t afford to be complacent when people start to go back to work. You certainly do need to be conscious and you do need to switch back on.“The majority of crimes occur through opportunity and if there’s less opportunity for an offender to commit a crime it’s less likely to occur.”He said the message was the same at train station carparks.“If there’s more cars parked there, there’s more opportunity — especially if people are complacent and they leave valuables sitting in their cars or cars unlocked,” Superintendent Logan said. “The other thing that goes missing from train stations is bikes. The value of bikes is increasing. If somebody forgets to put a lock on the bike because they’re in a hurry or leave it unattended for too long, usually thieves will take advantage of that.“While we’ve all got a role to play when it comes to preventing crime, Victoria Police will continue to target and detect offenders in response to this need.“And I think together we can make a difference.”Since January 18, 50 per cent of office workers at private firms have been allowed to return to the office.The figure is 25 per cent for Victorian public service ­workers.The return to work has been slow but is likely to gather pace in coming weeks, especially when school resumes.
wes.hosking@news.com.au