The following crime prevention advice has been circulated after a burglary being reported.

Please make your home a difficult target.

Inside your home:
• Make it difficult for your valuables to be taken
• Check who’s at the door and don’t open it if you feel anxious.
• Leave some lights on or consider using plug timers if it will be dark before you get home.
• Store keys, including your car keys, out of sight and away from the front door area.
• Hide wallets, identity cards, passports and cash.
• Mark or etach your property with postcode, house, flat number or the first three letters of your house name.
• Take photographs of your valuable items such as jewellery.

Outside your home:
• Install good outside lighting.
• Scale back hedges or fences that prevent people seeing your home.
• Lock doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you are in the garden.
• Cancel milk or other deliveries if you are planning on being away from home.
• Ask a neighbour, friend or relative to keep an eye on your property if you are going away.
• Keep ladders and gardening tools locked away to prevent them being used to gain entry to your home.
• Secure bikes by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage. Install a burglar alarm that can be seen on the outside of the property.

On your street:
• Be a good neighbour and check on your neighbour’s properties if they are away.
• Remove any letters or deliveries from the letterbox or doorway.
• Clear snow to your neighbour’s doors or walk on their paths if they are away – footpaths will make the house appear occupied.
• Consider setting up or joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

Report anything suspicious to police on the following contact methods:

• Website – We have crime reporting tools on our website: https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/
• Facebook – send us a private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• X (Twitter) – direct message our contact centre via @DerPolContact
• Phone – call us on 101

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.