It's an increasingly common scenario: a break-in occurs at a home and various high-value items, such as laptops, jewellery, mobile phones and anything portable and valuable, are stolen.
The home owner then claims on insurance and replaces the stolen items.
A few weeks later, the same thing happens again.
And it's because the crims know how to get in and know there will be new items they can steal.
One solution is what police call target hardening and there are cash rebates now available to victims in Canberra to help prevent it happening.
Neighbourhood Watch Australasia received federal funding for a series of pilot programs across the country, including in WA, Queensland and the ACT where the victims can apply to receive a rebate of up to $550 on property security items such as better locks, sensor lights, security screens and security cameras.
However, ACT home owners have to act soon. Applications to receive the rebate close on March 9.
People who have been victims of a Canberra break-in since January 2022 are eligible.
Around 200 of the rebates are still available, with a form to apply on the Neighbourhood Watch website.
Rental properties are not eligible and the security items cannot be part of an insurance claim. Applicants can only take up the offer once in this round of funding.
However, only victims of previous break-ins can apply, and they must provide the date of the previous incident, and the incident number provided by police. Each of the applications are vetted by police.
ACT police's Detective Inspector Elizabeth Swain encouraged people to take up the offer.
"In the ACT we do see offenders re-targeting a residence because they've been there before and they know what they can steal," she said.
"However, these offenders are opportunistic and looking for the easiest way to get inside, be that an open door, open window, or unlocked car."
There were 1941 burglaries across the ACT reported to police last year, slightly down on the 1973 reported the year before.
A significant number of these also resulted in theft of a motor vehicle as householders left their car keys in easily accessible locations. In some incidents, thieves break into a home and steal the car keys as well as minor items of value, and return later for the car.
