Summer crime prevention activities


The crime prevention activities promote personal safety and target issues such as domestic burglary, street and vehicle crime.

» Find out where you can visit the crime prevention van during the summer

Police warn residents to secure their homes

Police are warning Waltham Forest residents to be vigilant and properly secure their homes following a spate of burglaries.  Officers say that criminals are targeting houses and flats with UPVC doors because homeowners are not locking them correctly.

Homeowners who do not put their keys in a safe place are also being targeted. To avoid becoming a victim of burglary, members of the public who have a UPVC front or back door must lift the handle, turn the key fully and then check the door is securely locked.

Most doors have a five-lever dead bolt system which is activated when the inside handle is lifted upwards. If  UPVC doors are not locked properly, all but the central bolt can be disarmed and burglars can force the door relatively easily.

Police are also warning residents not to put their home or car keys near their front door because opportunistic thieves are fishing them through letterboxes and then using them to steal cars or break into the house at a later time.

Preventing crime in Waltham Forest

There are things you can do to make it much less likely that you'll become a victim of crime. We want to raise the level of awareness about some of the community safety issues in Waltham Forest.

‘Acquisitive crime’ covers all crime where items are stolen or acquired fraudulently. This covers aspects of theft, robbery including street crime, vehicle crime, residential burglary, as well as business and retail crime , which includes shoplifting, fraud and counterfeiting.

You can contribute to the fight against crime by protecting yourself and your property.

Staying safe at home

Basic tips:

  • Check that doors and windows are locked every time you leave the house
  • Fit deadlocks to all outside doors and make sure the deadlock key isn’t in an obvious place
  • Fit key-operated locks to all windows
  • Don’t hide spare keys outside, or in the garage or shed
  • Leave lights and the radio on a timer for the evening so it looks like someone is in
  • Make sure thieves can’t get into the garden by fitting a good fence, padlocking any side gate and ensuring the shed is locked
  • Make sure the TV, DVD player and other valuables can’t be seen from the window and there isn’t any cash lying around
  • If it’s dark outside close the curtains and leave a light on
  • Lock your valuables away somewhere safe
  • Some burglars break-in looking for your car keys so they can steal your car so don’t leave car keys near a door or window
  • Use security markers to mark expensive or important items with your postcode and door number, it makes them easier to for the police to return them if they are found

Make sure that any improvements you make do not stop you from getting out of your house as quickly as possible in the case of an emergency, such as a fire.

For more information on how to make a real difference to your safety visit www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

The HEET Project

HEET fits energy efficiency and home security measures, free of charge, for older people and low income residents living in Waltham Forest.

Visit The HEET project for more information.

Contact us

Community Safety (Acquisitive Crime)
Safe and Strong Communities
Sycamore House
Waltham Forest Town Hall Complex
Forest Road
Walthamstow E17 4JF

Tel 020 8496 3000
Email communitysafety@walthamforest.gov.uk