THE FACTS In Victoria each year over 40,000 homes are broken into. This results in property worth tens of millions of dollars being stolen. Many burglaries occur when homeowners are away on holidays. A good neighbour can be as effective as a police patrol in protecting your home while you're away.

To give your home a "lived in" look while away on holidays consider taking the following steps:

• Ensure all doors and windows are securely locked.
• Let your neighbour know you'll be away and leave a contact telephone number for yourself or a relative if possible.
• Arrange for mail to be held or re-directed by the Post Office, or collected by a trusted friend or neighbour on a daily basis.
• Ask your neighbour to watch out for visitors.
• Ask a trusted friend or neighbour to collect all junk mail..
• Cancel all deliveries.
• Consider installing automatic timing devices for lights and electrical appliances such as radios and TVs. By automatically switching on lights, your house can maintain its normal lighting pattern.
• Electrical timers can be used to turn your radio on to talk-back programs during the day.
• Disconnect the electrical supply to electronic garage doors and engage manual locks.
• Advise the local police of your absence, providing a contact address and telephone number. Be sure to notify police when you return. This is especially important if you return home early.
• If cars are left at home, secure them and leave the keys with a trusted friend or neighbour.
• Do not leave any keys concealed inside or outside the house. Give them to a trusted friend or neighbour.
• Engrave or mark valuable property with an identifying mark being a driver's licence number preceded by the letter "V" for Victoria.
• Turn down the volume on your telephone the day you leave.
• Arrange for someone to mow your lawn and water the garden.
• If you live in a Neighbourhood Watch Area, consider informing the Area Co-ordinator that you will be away.