Advice issued to residents in Scarborough and Whitby in run up to Christmas

North Yorkshire Police have issued advice to residents across the county who may be leaving their homes unattended, either for a short period of time or for longer. (Photo: submit) Officers shared some seasonal tips on their social media page to keep your home safe and sound when you're not there. North Yorkshire Police say to make sure you don't leave presents where people can see them through your windows and doors and make sure you haven't left packaging next to your bins, showing people what presents you have inside the house.

Don't advertise you're not in - wait until you're back home to post photos of your lovely time away. Use a timer to switch on lights to make it look like you're home even when you're not - LED energy saving bulbs can help keep the cost down and reduce fire risk as they don't heat up. Officers also say to ask someone you trust to keep an eye on your house while you are away, don't leave spare keys in obvious places such as under doormats or plant pots and ask a neighbour if they wouldn't mind putting your bins out for you.

Receive news and alerts about crime in your neighbourhood Residents can also sign up to North Yorkshire Community Messaging which is a free email alert service from North Yorkshire Police. Their local teams use the system to let you know what's happening in your area, including burglary prevention advice and property marking events.

You can sign up to receive alerts about events, crime appeals, safety advice and much more The alerts can be tailored to where you live and work, you can do this by searching for 'North Yorkshire Community Messaging' and sign up.

Find more advice by searching 'crime prevention advice' on the North Yorkshire Police website

Report any suspicious activity via the North Yorkshire Police website, or call 101.

In an emergency, call North Yorkshire Police immediately on 999.