Surrey Police Service (SPS) is reminding Surrey residents to secure their homes over the summer months to prevent break-ins and providing some property-related safety tips.

Between June and September, the last three years, Surrey has had 599 residential break-ins (248 in 2022, 173 in 2023, and 178 in 2024). Of these, 31% have been to insecure properties and 24% have been to garages. 

With hot daytime weather and warm nights, it is tempting to leave windows open and let the breeze keep your residence cool. Property criminals often look for insecure homes and will use ladders left outside the house to gain access to upper stories. Another common way criminals break into homes is by gaining access to a garage that has either been left open or the garage door opener stolen from inside a vehicle and then used to open the garage. 

To prevent and reduce break-ins, residents should consider using some common summertime property safety tips, including: 

• Close your garage door and don’t leave your garage door opener in your vehicle
• Lock windows or use devices that prevent windows from being opened
• Don’t leave ladders visible and accessible
• If you’re going on holidays, arrange to have your mail stopped and packages picked up
• Have your yard maintained
• Consider installing security cameras and motion sensor lights
• Get to know your neighbours and report suspicious activity to the police

SPS encourages residents and neighbourhoods to get to know each other and work together to prevent crime. Block Watch, which has been operating successfully in Surrey since 1986, is administered in partnership between SPS and the City of Surrey through Community Programs Coordinators. The Block Watch program was specifically developed to help reduce residential break-ins and thefts from vehicles, and to provide a greater awareness to neighbours on how to be on the alert for suspicious activities in their communities. If you’re interested in joining Block Watch or creating one for your neighbourhood, please find more information on SPS’s Block Watch webpage. 

Together, we can help prevent and reduce residential break-ins and ensure that everyone has a safe summer.