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Break-in warning at Easter break time

Staff ReporterSouthern Gazette

That is the message WA Police in the Southern Gazette area want you to know as the Easter break approaches.

The South-East Metropolitan District will launch operation Top Cat on April 2 to counter the marked increase in burglaries and thefts that usually happen at this time of year.

District Inspector Mike Sparkman said historically burglaries and thefts increased during the Easter break, as schools, buildings and homes were more empty than usual.

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‘It’s a time when people go down south and businesses close for five days,’ he said.

‘If a burglary happens on the Thursday, it might not be detected by owners until the following Tuesday.’

He said it was important that people engaged with their neighbours to ensure safer communities.

‘Some alarms aren’t monitored, so if you know your neighbour, then they could call you to just let you know,’ he said. ‘They could pop their head over the fence to make sure everything looks OK, rather than just ignoring the alarm.’

As part of operation Top Cat, police will be flooding the area with extra patrols on car and foot.

They will be keeping a close eye on empty schools and industrial areas and will be visiting entertainment precincts to encourage people to set alarms and talk to their neighbours.