Students in Guildford got a lesson in home security as part of a burglary prevention campaign launched at the University of Surrey.
Following an earlier undercover police operation the week before on campus, officers from the Safer Neighbourhood Team and volunteers from the university carried out high visibility patrols of the student accommodation blocks. The group were looking out for any open windows and then placing balloons with a crime prevention note attached through the gap.
Higher Education Liaison Officer PC Emily Band, who is based at the university, had a stand outside the Studentsโ Union on Thursday, May 19, offering further security advice to those on campus. There was also the chance for students who had been victims of crime or who had concerns they wanted to address to speak to their local officers as part of a question and answer session.
PC Band said: โIf we can fit a balloon through your window then just think what else, or more importantly, who else could also fit through. Hopefully coming home to find one of our crime prevention balloons in their room has made a few of the students think twice about leaving it insecure again.
โOur work on the campus is all about raising awareness and reminding students about taking basic security measures. Many of them seem to forget that the campus is not secure and that the public can walk though it. This includes local criminals, many of whom would be delighted with a couple of laptops and the odd mobile phone. It only takes seconds for someone to reach in through an open window and help themselves, and many of these thefts could be prevented by students securing their rooms, locking doors and windows and hiding valuables out of sight.โ
