Islanders are being offered the chance to make their homes more secure in an environmentally-friendly fashion thanks to a bright new initiative.

A simple crime prevention measure residents can take when away from their property is to leave a light on to give the impression they are at home. This common-sense step is known to deter opportunistic burglars who are more likely to target a house they believe is unoccupied.

The downside of this tactic however is that leaving a light on in an empty property can be deemed to be wasteful of energy.

Now the IW Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership – a collaboration between the IW Council, Hampshire Police, the IW NHS Primary Care Trust and the Rural Community Council - has come up with a solution.

They are offering, free of charge, both timer switches that can be set to automatically turn on light bulbs at a given time and also environmentally friendly bulbs, which have been donated by the Footprint Trust in support of the campaign.

Information on the scheme – and general advice on making your unoccupied home more secure – will be put through the doors of homes identified as left in darkness and unattended by police officers, town centre managers, and police community support officers  during a series of high-visibility twighlight patrols.

This information will include an invite to visit a police station to receive a free timer and also a crime prevention advice leaflet.

In addition, residents can ask for crime prevention advice or request the switches and bulbs by contacting their local safer neighbourhoods team  HERE:
 
Community Inspector Mark Bell said:

“Now the clocks have gone back and the winter evenings draw in, it is the ideal time for homeowners to look at how they can protect their property.

“Leaving a light on is one simple step to deter would be burglars and now that can be done in an efficient and environmentally-friendly fashion.”

Stuart Love, IW Council director of environment and neighbourhoods, said:

“This imaginative scheme will help ensure the Island stays an extremely safe – and environmentally-aware - place to live.

The timers mean that the lightbulbs can be programmed to come on only when it is dark – as opposed to being left on all day – and – while the bulbs themselves use only a fraction of the energy taken up by traditional ones.”

Both Mr Love and Insp Bell thanked the IW Footprint Trust who had organised the supply of low-energy lightbulbs