Police aim to watch over empty homes

Officers from the Eccleshill Neighbourhood Policing Team in Bradford will be offering a free Temporary Unoccupied House (TUH) service through which they will check a property while householders are away.

Once informed, officers and Police Community Support Officers will be able to check on the property and with neighbours while out on patrol in their neighbourhoods.

The scheme was widely used a number of years ago and Eccleshill officers brought it back into operation on their patch in 2009.

Officers believe the scheme helps them to prevent crime and, in the event of an incident, will assist them in providing a swifter response for people as they will already have their full contact details.

Police will also continue new car security patrols in the Eccleshill area through which they will check certain cars while on patrols in streets to see if they are insecure.

Officers will contact the owners of any unlocked parked vehicles they find to warn owners they are at risk of becoming the victims of thieves.

Inspector Pete Tuff, of the Eccleshill Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Through the car security checks and Temporary Unoccupied House service we are hopefully providing a bit of reassurance to residents that we are taking extra measures to help them stay that little bit safer this summer.

“By far the best way to reduce crime is to prevent it in the first place and simple steps, such as making sure parked cars are left secure, really will put off opportunist thieves.”

Anyone wishing to take part in the Temporary Unoccupied House scheme can pick up a form from Eccleshill Police Station or e-mail officers at [email protected].