Databank. Advice to home owners

Advice to home owners

National figures recently published indicate that one in every 20 houses will be burgled each year. To combat these crimes police advise that all exterior doors should be fitted with security deadlocks to British Standard BS 3620. Patio doors should have locks top and bottom. All ground floor and easily accessible first floor windows should be fitted with locks and always used when the owners are away from the property. All keys should be removed from locks and placed in a convenient but obscure place within the house. Occupants should cancel all paper and milk deliveries when they are away for long periods and they should never leave a note saying they are out. Timers can turn on lights if occupants are to return after dark and radios playing give the impression that someone is at home. All tools and ladders should be locked away out of sight as they may be used to gain entry to a property.

The 1998 Census published by the Automatic Vending Association of Britain puts the total number of refreshment vending machines in the UK at 384,255,which is a 7.2 per cent growth on the previous year. There is also evidence that product throughputs per machine are also up on the previous year. Snack and food machines have grown by 47.8 per cent since 1994 and can machines are also up by 14.3 per cent. In companies with under 50 employees penetration of snack machines has now reached 37 per cent. In the beverage sector vended tea has marginally improved its performance against coffee while hot chocolate has improved against both tea and coffee. These results show that staff restaurants and cafeterias are giving way to vending machines.