Police in Wilmslow are continuing work to help protect residents from burglaries and vehicle thefts by issuing safety advice to help prevent residents from falling victim to criminals.
Since September 2021, Neighbourhood officers and PCSOs have been delivering Operation Fierce in the Wilmslow West and Chorley ward, which has involved door-step advice to residents of over 1,300 houses about methods to keep their homes and vehicles secure.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said "Thanks to the dedication of local officers and the community, home and vehicle security in the area has improved by more than 80%, helping to make Wilmslow a hostile place for criminals."
In addition to Operation Fierce, officers carry out patrols in hot-spot areas, on foot and in vehicles, to help deter crime and identify offenders.
PCSO James Morris, of Wilmslow Neighbourhood Policing Team confirmed "The figure for an 80% improvement in security comes from anonymous feedback received from residents who were visited by the operation who said they had made improvements to the security of either their vehicles or home (or both) as a result of the advice provided by officers."
Having requested some information from Cheshire Police regarding the number of burglaries in the the Wilmslow West and Chorley ward area, and whether they have dropped since September 2021, when officers started delivering Operation Fierce.
PCSO James Morris told wilmslow.co.uk "There's currently not enough evidence to conclude that the operation has led to a reduction in burglaries or vehicle thefts because offences are down across the area, although obviously I am hopeful they will stay down as a result."
He added "We have noticed an increase in burglaries where offenders have been targeting car keys with the intention of stealing vehicles. There is often a rise in burglaries during the summer holidays and into the autumn, so we would urge residents to do all they can to make it harder for offenders.
"Keep your vehicles secure and don't leave the keys visible in your property near windows and doors, where they can easily be stolen. Additionally, installing a wheel lock can also act as a deterrent to prevent your vehicle from being driven away.
"Adding internal door bolts is a cheap and easy method to further secure your home. Even if a burglar comes equipped to break into the exterior of your house, securing internal doors with bolts is another barrier that they may not be prepared for – and will certainly slow them down, making it unattractive to continue.
"You can help us by reporting suspicious behaviour in your area, such as vehicles driving or walking slowly past properties without good reasons. Or, if you have CCTV or video doorbells, make sure they are correctly switched on and you know how to operate them should you need to."
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