There’s a new weapon in the fight against crime: balloons. In Greater Manchester, police officers from the Altrincham Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) supported by Trafford Council’s Safer Trafford Partnership are putting helium balloons through open windows and doors in the area, to tackle insecurity burglaries.
The balloons are attached to a card which says ‘Why am I here?’. On the reverse of the card it says why, with a warning to close windows and doors or have your treasured items burgled. Police Community Support Officers will then visit the house and offer to conduct a ‘Home Security Assessment’. Any vulnerable parts of the house will be identified and advice about locks and security will be given.
Houses that do not have any open doors or windows will receive a leaflet congratulating them and also giving advice about burglary.
Police make the point that the number of insecurity-related burglaries tends to increase during the summer months as the warmer weather encourages people to leave their windows open.
Insp Clark Bowers from the Altrincham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We know that around one in three burglaries happen because of an insecurity – a window left open, a door left unlocked and thieves will hunt for this. This initiative is about warning decent people of the threat, and encouraging them to Lock it or lose it!”
