Keeping Eastcote Safe While Renovations Are Underway 🏡👷

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding burglary, which people around your area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the priority survey.

With several properties in our area currently undergoing construction and refurbishment, we wanted to share a friendly reminder about keeping things safe and secure while works are in progress.

We all love seeing homes improved and streets refreshed—but unfortunately, building sites can sometimes attract the wrong kind of attention.

🔒 A Few Simple Safety Tips
If your property is vacant during works, please consider:

- Ensuring access points (doors, gates, windows) are properly secured
- Regularly checking in on the property, or asking a neighbour to keep an eye out
- Making sure builders lock up at the end of each day
- Keeping valuables and tools out of sight

👷 Know Your Builders
It’s also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the contractors working on your or neighbour's property:

- Who should be there
- What vehicles they’re using
- Their usual working times

That way, if someone new suddenly appears looking very confident but slightly unfamiliar, you’ll know to question it.

👀 Recent Suspicious Activity
A white Ford Transit van was recently seen near a property on Myrtle Avenue, with two males attempting to gain access to a home—reportedly trying to get in via garden route.
Let’s just say… they weren’t on the approved contractor list.

😄 A Quick Thought…
If someone turned up at your property in a high-vis vest and an air of confidence, how quickly would you spot they weren’t meant to be there?
A) Immediately—I know exactly who should be there 👀
B) After a few suspicious moments 🤔
C) Only once they’ve made a cup of tea in the kitchen ☕
D) When they start working on the wrong house next door 🏡
(Feel free to reply—we’re curious!)

All joking aside, a little awareness goes a long way. Most tradespeople are hardworking and trustworthy—but it never hurts to stay alert and trust your instincts.

If something doesn’t look quite right, it probably isn’t.
Let’s all do our bit to keep Eastcote safe, secure, and just the right amount of lively (preferably without surprise “builders”).

While we will continue to pursue burglars in the area, there are steps you can do to help keep your property safe. Make sure that you:  

• Double lock your door every time you leave the house  

• If you can, move garden furniture or bins away from windows so that thieves cannot use them to gain access.  

• Use laminated glass or security film on ground floor and accessible windows.  

• Use a sash stop if you have sash windows to prevent people opening them enough to climb through.  

• If your windows open outwards, use a key operated lock – check these are locked before leaving the house.  

• Make sure all valuables are out of sight. 

• Keep handbags and keys away from letterboxes or cat flaps.  

• In the evening shut the curtains and leave lights on.  

• Set your burglar alarm 

• Lock your  shed or garage 

• Mark, register or record your valuables. 

Please go to our website to find the latest advice and guidance on keeping yourself safe.

If you ever experience this issue or have information regarding an incident, please report it using our online reporting tools at https://www.met.police.uk/, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.  

Get Involved

Please consider getting involved and contribute to the local priority survey, we may be unaware of issues that you would like us to focus on.  Take a few minutes to securely and privately register and have your say using the button below, this will mean we can focus on things that matter to you. 

Please click here to complete the survey

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