Winter Nights
What is Winter Nights?
County Durham and Darlington is currently one of the safest places to live and work in the country. We, the police and councils, want to make it even safer and have worked together to launch the Winter Nights initiative to help do this.
Latest Update: 4th January 2010
What does Winter Nights hope to achieve?
The aim of Winter Nights is to reduce the types of crime that traditionally start to increase as the winter months approach and the dark nights arrive.
Crime statistics show that when evenings become darker house burglaries are more likely to happen. However there are many simple steps you can take to make your property less likely to be targeted.
So……What does this mean for you?
Part of Winter Nights is about the Police and Councils providing you with advice as to what you can do to help keep your home secure during the Winter Months.
Key messages to remember are:
- Before leaving your home make sure you have locked both your front and back doors and your windows. Although this one sounds simple, almost a third of properties are burgled due to an unsecure door or window.
- Consider leaving a light on before you go out when it’s dark. This is another simple step to take to help protect your home. It’s a fact that properties left in darkness are more likely to be targeted by burglars as they stand out and look more vulnerable.
- Close your curtains when heading out for the night
- If you have a house alarm – please use it!
- If you notice anything suspicious in your area or you would like to have a chat with your local neighbourhood policing team please contact us
- Now the darker nights are here, follow these simple pieces of advice and don’t make it easy for burglars to target your property by helping to remove the opportunity for house burglary in your area.
Also, it would be really useful to let your friends, family and neighbours know about these informative leaflets to help to keep their properties safer in the winter months.
What will we be doing?
Although it’s really important for you to consider taking these simple measures, please be reassured that the police and councils will be working hard towards the reduction of burglary as the Winter Nights draw in.
As part of Winter Nights we will be targeting known offenders and carrying out operations across the force area aimed at preventing and reducing burglary.
The Winter Nights Activity link below will be updated with details of work that is going on in your area. For further Winter Nights information, please contact your local neighbourhood policing team.
As part of Winter Nights Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Council Wardens will be patrolling your local neighbourhood, looking out for houses that are left in darkness during the winter evenings.
Properties that are found to have been left in darkness will receive a light bulb shaped leaflet through their door for residents to read.
The light bulb leaflet will let people know that they their home has been targeted by the patrolling PCSOs or wardens as it looked vulnerable and stood out due to it being in darkness.
The hope is that this will encourage people to consider leaving a light on when going out during the winter months.
Assistant Chief Constable for Durham Constabulary, Michael Banks said:
“The light bulb leaflet idea is a really proactive way of encouraging residents to think about what they can do to protect their properties during this time of year and to make life difficult for criminals operating in our neighbourhoods. This along with some of the work being carried out in partnership with both Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council should make a positive impact on burglary levels in our area over the winter months.”
A copy of the light bulb leaflet and door hanger are available for download
Other good news stories/activity updates will be added on an ongoing basis.
