Police in East Hampshire are increasing night time patrols and offering crime prevention advice to residents to tackle non-dwelling burglaries.
Overall crime rates in the area are continuing to fall but there have been a number of reports of break-ins to sheds, garages and comercial properties over the past four weeks.
Police Sergeant Paul Bromell from the Whitehill Safer Neighbourhoods team said: "We are working hard to bring those responsible for non-dwelling burglaries in the area to justice. As part of this we have increased our patrols at certain times of the day.
"I would appeal to members of the public to assist us with our enqueries by reporting anything suspicuous particuarly if people are seen in the area of potentially vulnerable comercial premises during the hours of darkness.
"Members of the public can also take a number of sensible precautions to guard against becoming a victim of crime.
- Place all tools and garden equipment in locked sheds and garages.
- Secure more expensive items, e.g. mowers, bikes to an anchor point within the shed or garage.
- Mark all items with postcode and record serial numbers. e.g. UV pens or forensic marking kits. Register the details for free on www.immobilise.com
- Take photographs of items such as statues and garden furniture if they are unusual, for easy identification at a later date.
- Fit a shed alarm.
- Keep the structure in good repair.
- Consider covering windows with curtains to obscure the view of the contents.
- Consider external lighting.
- Ensure the garden fences are in good repair between neighbours to prevent unlawful access.
- Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property.
Anyone with information about non-dweling burglaries in East Hampshire is asked to contact Hampshire Constabulary by phoning 101. Mini-Com users can call the police on 18001 101. Information can be given anonymously by calling the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.