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Posted on Thursday 30 September 2021
Safer Streets logo 2021
Dozens of residents have improved their home security thanks to a £500,000 scheme to reduce crime in our communities.

Earlier this year, a successful bid was submitted by the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, together with Durham Constabulary, for funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

As a result, £505,294 was awarded to Easington for new CCTV cameras and new security measures for homes.

Since the start of September, several residents have signed up and the Safer Streets team is currently out fitting the new measures to eligible homes and providing crime prevention advice.

Victims of burglary in Easington (Easington Colliery, Easington Colliery North, and Easington Village South) are automatically offered the security improvements.

These include window locks, internal lights on a timer, external lights on a sensor and double locks/deadlocks on external doors.

Houses near the victim household are also eligible for these changes.

Since the first round of the Safer Streets initiative began 12 months ago, more than 1,000 people across Horden and Darlington (Northgate and North Road) have engaged and benefitted from crime prevention advice through neighbourhood wardens, PCSOs and crime prevention leaflets.

Inspector Joanne Eales, from Seaham and Easington Neighbourhood Team, said: “This is a real opportunity for eligible residents of Easington to benefit from the scheme. 

“Not only can they have security measures fitted to their homes for free which can also include exterior night lighting, but their neighbours can also benefit from it too in a process called cocooning.

“The scheme also allows for void properties to be properly secured to prevent burglaries from happening in empty buildings where we see damaged caused to piping and heating equipment.

“I would ask anyone eligible to take up the offer when approached and the project team can also approach landlords on behalf of tenants if they are unsure if a landlord would allow the safety measures to be fitted.”

To find out more on the Safer Streets scheme, visit https://www.durham-pcc.gov.uk/news-and-events/safer-streets

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