As well as making sure that the garden is secure, the Bryanston Square Trust believes that the safety of the neighbourhood is just as important.

Sylvia Edwards is the Safer Neighbourhoods Group Chairman. Should you wish to contact Ms Edwards, please do so at sylviajedwards@outlook.com.

Security Tips & Advice:

• For some tips on how to make your home and car less attractive to criminals visit the Crimestoppers website.
• Make sure the entry door to your building closes firmly behind you! It may even be worth installing a new door-closer to make sure the door closes quickly and firmly behind anyone who exits or enters.
• Keep all accessible windows closed or if opened, bolted with security bolts that prevent them from opening more than a few inches.
• Make sure there is nothing left on the seats of your car that would attract the attention of passers-by, e.g. phones, CDs or bags.
• If you have a SatNav or hands-free kit, make sure all evidence of it is removed from sight. It is even worthwhile cleaning from the windscreen the suction-cup mark.
• Burglars particularly love an unoccupied flat. So it makes sense, if you are going to be away, to make it look like people are still there:
  • Put some of your lamps on timer switches, so that they turn on and off each night automatically. You can get these from Maplin and other electrical good stores for about £5.00, which doesn’t seem a bad investment.
  • Also, tell your neighbours when you are going to be away, and ask them to check in on your flat from time to time.
  • Pull your blinds down when you are not at home so people can’t see that the house is unattended.
  • Keep your valuables away from your front door – it would surprise you to know that burglars will look through the mail slot.
• The police tell us that most crime is opportunistic – people see valuables accessible and unattended and try their luck. If you make things difficult for them, they will try their luck somewhere else.