BURGLARS have been targeting homes in east Hull because people have left their doors and windows unlocked. Police saw a rise in house, shed and garage burglaries during the summer.
Thieves were taking advantage of people leaving their doors and windows open or unlocked during warm weather.
Inspector Pete Ogden, who heads up the East and Park neighbourhood policing team, said: "There always tends to be an increase in burglaries when the weather improves because more people leave their homes insecure.
"Criminals like an easy target and if people make it tempting for them, they will take that opportunity.
"We did see a rise in burglaries across the East and Park area but, hopefully, it was just a blip as it has levelled off now. If people take responsibility for keeping their properties secure, they will reduce their chance of becoming a victim.
"People need to make it as hard as possible."
Insp Ogden said burglars will often enter houses through unlocked front doors or open windows while residents are in their gardens.
Although temperatures have dropped, police are still urging people to ensure they secure their property.
Officers from the neighbourhood teams have been out patrolling the streets checking houses for the signs a burglar would look for.
Insp Ogden said: "They have been actively patrolling the streets looking for insecurities and alerting householders, either by speaking to them or putting notices through the door."
Thieves are also targeting sheds and garages, often to steal high-value bikes or tools.
Police advise householders secure valuable items inside their shed or garage, as well as ensuring the building is locked.
They also recommend people have their property marked by police and register it on the online database Immobilise, which is checked by police when they recover stolen property.
Insp Ogden said: "People have got to take responsibility and not give criminals that easy option. If people do have their house burgled, it can be very hard to come to terms with.
"The feeling that somebody has been in your house is devastating, as well as then dealing with the financial impact of losing your belongings.
"If a house has been left unlocked or insecure, insurance companies may not pay out to replace any goods that have been lost, which causes extra problems.
"When sheds and garages are burgled, it is often high-value items that are stolen and there is a lot of inconvenience involved in replacing them. If a bike is stolen, it's often someone's only mode of transport, so it causes a lot of disruption to them. We have had a lot of bikes that have been stolen and we don't know where they are being disposed of. We don't get information from the public about that, which is what we need."
Insp Ogden said information from local residents is also crucial in halting burglary and catching criminals.
"We know that criminals tend to operate in the area they live in and that people will know who is responsible for these crimes," said Insp Ogden.
Last month, the independent charity Crimestoppers launched a campaign to encourage people to report crime anonymously.
East Hull is the first area in the city to be part of the One Voice campaign, which aims to get more people to come forward with often vital information about crime.
Insp Ogden said: "If people don't feel comfortable talking to the police, they can speak to Crimestoppers anonymously. We just need that information."
To contact your local neighbourhood policing team, call Humberside Police on 101. To report crime anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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