A significant number of thefts from dacha (summer house) properties occur during the autumn-winter period, when dacha owners have already harvested their crops and left their dachas. There have been cases where dacha thieves have stolen property worth large sums, including televisions, heaters, electric pumps, and other appliances. It is recommended to remove such valuables for the winter. If you discover that someone has been in your house, do not touch anything with your hands before the arrival of the operational-investigative group.
We would like to remind dacha owners of some safety rules once again:
- Always lock your dacha when you leave it, even for a short while to visit neighbours, fetch water, or for other needs;
- Try not to bring expensive items to your dacha;
- Do not leave them in the house if you intend to leave yourself;
- Neighbours, respect each other, and report suspicious individuals appearing in the dacha areas and horticultural associations to the police;
- Remove valuable items from your dacha for the autumn-winter period.
It should be noted that theft is not the only danger of loss.
Dacha insecurity is primarily provoked by the lack of adequate security. Most dacha associations and cooperatives have no security at all. The rest rely on luck.
In accordance with the requirements of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of 28.01.2008 No. 50 "On Measures to Regulate the Activities of Horticultural Cooperatives", in order to ensure the safety of property, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, together with regional executive committees, is instructed to take appropriate measures, to provide assistance to members of cooperatives in organising voluntary patrols and public order protection posts within the cooperatives.
Nevertheless, despite the measures taken in this regard by executive authorities and law enforcement agencies, citizens who own country houses do not show sufficient activity in ensuring the safety of their property. The issue of establishing voluntary patrols and guard services has not been resolved to date
In this regard, we would like to urge members of horticultural associations not to rely on chance, but to take measures themselves to organise guard patrols or duty shifts, to establish volunteer patrols, and to fence off the association territories. The executive authorities, which are tasked by the Decree with supervising the activities of associations, will provide the necessary assistance in this matter.
If your home is located outside the deployment areas of the Department of Protection units, you can conclude a contract for the security of your dwelling using radio and GSM means. As soon as a criminal breaks into the dwelling, an alarm signal is sent to the Central Monitoring Station and the duty unit of the territorial internal affairs department. Detailed information can be obtained from the departments of the Department of Protection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus at your place of residence.
The cost of installing the object radio equipment (in the absence of telephone lines) installed in your home depends on the house design, and the cost of installation work depends on the number of devices and security and search systems (S&SS) installed.
A large number of thefts of this type are committed through free access, which indicates a careless attitude of citizens towards the safety of their property and insufficient awareness-raising and explanatory work among the population.
Bicycles left unattended are stolen everywhere: from homes, shops, and entrances. The perpetrators have different motives; some steal for profit, and their actions are serial, while others steal to get to a certain place and abandon the bicycle there.
In this regard, we recommend:
- do not leave your bicycle unattended on the landing, near entrances or shops, near administrative buildings, or in basements;
- purchase an anti-theft device for your bicycle and use it when leaving it unattended;
- do not allow unauthorised persons into the entrances of residential buildings, as they may steal your bicycle left in the entrance; therefore, do not let strangers into the entrance;
- do not leave your bicycle in the basement;
- assist children and elderly people in transporting their bicycles to a safe storage location;
- if you notice suspicious individuals near your home, entrance, or shop who are showing interest in an unattended bicycle, immediately report it to the police.