With iPads, mobile phones, laptops, gaming systems and other valuables often in view, police are warning residents to lock their homes in the lead up to the holiday season.

Warrnambool Crime Investigation Unit’s Detective Sergeant Andy Raven urged people to be security conscious at all times. 

“Crooks will know that there’s mobile phones and iPads under the tree,” Detective Sergeant Raven said. 

“If people go out or go for a drive to look at the Christmas lights and leave their house unlocked, don’t think that it won’t happen to you because it will.  It will ruin people’s Christmases.”

He said the items were often valuables that families had saved for throughout the year and if stolen, the expensive goods were not easily replaced.

“They can be hard to track (once they’re stolen). They take sim cards out of them or they’ll take them to Melbourne. It’s very hard to get property back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. It’s moved on pretty quickly unfortunately.” 

He said officers regularly attended properties where items had been stolen from unlocked homes and cars and other instances where keys had been left in the car’s ignition. Unlocked back sliding doors are also easy and common ways for criminals to enter homes. 

Detective Sergeant Raven recommended if people could afford it, to purchase a couple of security cameras where the images are streamed live onto the resident's mobile phone. 

He also encouraged the public to tell their neighbours that they’re going away and to report any suspicious behavior to police. “People should invest in security systems and cameras. They’re not overly expensive.

“If they’re going to go away on holidays consider putting a camera up as a deterrent and for police to use as an investigative tool if they do get broken into.”

He also encouraged people going away for the holidays to fill in an absence from residence form which can be downloaded from police.vic.gov.au or filled in at the police station.