Now the clocks have gone back and the 'nights' now start around 4pm, walking home through streets that felt perfectly safe in the summer months can suddenly start to feel less secure. Crime can happen anywhere, of course, but dimmer light can make it easier for criminals to strike. How can you ensure that you stay safe on the streets in the darker months? Here are a few tips that should help you to feel more confident going out at night.
The various messages from the police fundamentally amount to one piece of advice: keep your wits about you. This essentially means staying alert: which simply means looking around you for anything that seems out of the ordinary.
Another thing to remember - scary though it may seem - is that not all crimes happen down deserted dark alleys. In particular, much of the mobile phone theft currently taking place is carried out in broad daylight and on busy highstreets, often by gangs of youths on bikes. It can be relatively easy to stay alert when you already feel threatened - that's simply a survival instinct kicking in. But a tougher job is being vigilant in situations where you'd expect to be safe such as out shopping or just outside your own home.
Here are a few 'danger zones' that we visit so often that it's easy to be caught off guard:
- Outside train stations or on platforms
- Bus stops
- At cashpoints
- crowded shopping centres
- close to home where we let our guard down through familiarity
- Pubs and bars
Thieves and muggers tend to target people in these situations, so add these to your mental list of places to stay alert and you will be in a better position to react if approached. Other ways you can protect yourself include:
- Carrying a rape alarm
- Adopting a confident stance
- Plan your journey in advance
Appearing more confident is a technique that flaws opportunist criminals as they are on the lookout for targets that are lost or unsure of their surroundings (this is why people who are obviously tourists or students are especially vulnerable). There are obviously many ways to boost your confidence (or even fake it) but the best way is to always be sure of where you're going. Use a site like Walkit.com to plan any routes that are new to you, and keep a map to refer to if necessary. A rape alarm may also help you to feel more secure even if you never have to use it...
If you are approached in a residential street, a good way to avoid becoming a victim is to simply walk quickly towards a nearby front door: even if you're a total stranger to the area it may look as though you live there or at the very least know or can alert someone who could help.
Finally, how can you protect your belongings? Losing a beloved gadget can be even worse than losing your wallet when you can have credit cards returned in a matter of hours.
- Wear your bag slung across you shoulders if possible (the trend for cross-body bags has helped us get this one right!) or at least carry a style that closes securely.
- Transfer some of your valuables to your pockets to limit the damage if your bag is stolen
- Don't keep any valuable items (iPhone 4 for example!) on display, e.g. on a belt or neck chain
- Mark your valuables with an ultra-violet pen
Have fun this Christmas - and stay safe!
[Image: Caza_No_7]
