"Keen to make your place safer? Check out the Home Safety Checklist"

New Zealand Police has just launched a simple online tool the public can use to improve the safety of their home.

Advice is tailored to the individual, meaning they’ll only get the advice they need and Police won’t dish out advice relating to crime prevention actions they may already be taking.

Householders are asked to complete the Home Safety Checklist that only takes a minute or so by selecting a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as responses.

Relevant burglary prevention guidance is then emailed to the person seeking the information.

The common sense pointers have always been given out by Police but it’s now available in this personalised and online form as well as through pamphlets from Police staff and stations.

The advice aligns with the Police focus on prevention and the aspirational goal for Police to attend all dwelling burglaries.

“We know house break-ins have a huge impact on individuals, families and communities," says Acting Assistant Commissioner Districts, Sam Hoyle.

An expectation that Police will attend 100 percent of dwelling burglaries has been in place since29 August.

A provisional snapshot of dwelling burglaries attended by Police in September 2016 shows staff have been present at 90 percent of reported incidents.

Of 2,653 victimisations in September, Police recorded 2,390 attendances.

Prior to the revised approach to reach the aspirational attendance goal, Police data did not separate dwelling burglaries from other burglaries.

But it was estimated that 70 percent of dwelling burglaries were attended.

There are times when Police do not attend a burglary.

These occasions could include adhering to the wishes of the victim.

Another reason might be when a holiday home burglary has been discovered but the owner reports it for insurance purposes only as the scene has been cleaned up.

The expectation is for Police to visit the scene within a reasonable period of time.

Sometimes it may take a while to arrange access to the property.

“The provisional data for September shows that 80 percent of burglaries were attended within 24 hours of being reported,” says Mr Hoyle.

Attending more dwelling burglaries also provides more opportunity to support victims and offer prevention advice.

Progress will continue to be monitored, including a three-month review which is scheduled to be held in December.

ENDS

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