SAFER Ryedale had launched its annual Christmas crime prevention menu.

Each year leaflets are produced which provide advice to householders on how to keep their property safe over the festive period when valuable Christmas gifts are often in the home and temptation increases for burglars.

To help prevent crimes and also to identify property when it is recovered residents are reminded to:

• Always secure and lock your doors and windows, even if you are just popping out or when you are in the back garden.

• Close all curtains when its dark.

• Make sure your security lights are in working order and put internal lamps on timer switches to come on when dark if you are away.

• Always use your burglar alarm – if you don’t have an alarm, invest in one.

• Don’t leave your keys in the door at any time.

• Secure garages and sheds – they are often full of expensive tools that are ideal to use for breaking into the rest of the house.

• Don’t leave Christmas presents under the tree in full view of burglars who may be peering through windows – keep them in a secure place until the big day.

• Don’t put your empty boxes from Christmas presents or any new purchases out until your recycling collection day and make sure you break up the boxes and secure them together – the boxes and wrappings provide burglars with just the information they are looking for to see what new gadgets and items await them inside.

• Postcode your goods with a permanent marker or ultra-violet marker pen depending on the type of object being marked – this will make it harder for a thief to sell the items and easier for the police to identify the true owner if they are recovered.

Inspector Andy Everitt, of Ryedale Police, said: “It is so important that we make life as hard as possible for thieves who may be seeking to commit acquisitive crime be it planned or opportunistic.

"These simple measures really do work and requires just a little extra consideration on the part of homeowners to follow this common sense advice. "

He added: "Ryedale is one of the safest places to live in England and we have a combined responsibility to keep it that way”

The leaflets will be distributed to as many outlets as possible, including Ryedale District Council, libraries, doctors surgeries, CAB, Children’s Centres, Ryedale Voluntary Action, Tourist Information Centres and police stations, alternatively the information is available at www.ryesafe.org.uk