House Breaking

Don’t make burglars feel welcome. Secure your home. Burglars can find ways into your home by various methods:

Make sure that all doors, windows and other openings are properly secured with strong grilles and good quality close-shackled locks. Change the lock promptly if the key is lost or stolen; Do not leave large sums of cash in your premises. Jewelleries and valuable items should be kept in a bank or a good quality safe; Cancel all deliveries (for example newspapers, magazines) when on holiday or business closure, even if it is for a few days;
Install adequate CCTV systems or security alarms. Service them regularly and ensure that they are in good working condition;
Secure all doors and windows before retiring to bed, end of daily business operations or leaving premises unattended for a short while;
Avoid leaving valuables such as wallets, bags, cash, handphones, and laptops near the window along the common corridor;
Arrange for trusted persons such as relatives, to clear your mailbox and check on your premises when you are away, even if it is for a few days; and
For private housing estates, ensure that the access areas of the premises, such as the front-porch, are adequately lit during the hours of darkness to deter would-be criminals.

If the premise is undergoing renovation

Secure your vacant unit with a close-shackled lock; and
Do not leave home appliances in your vacant unit. Arrange for the delivery of such items after you have moved in

A person convicted of housebreaking and theft by day is liable to: