Over the next few months popular festivals such as Navratri and Diwali will be marked, with many thousands of families joining together to celebrate.

Unfortunately, at this time of year, we see an increase in robberies and burglaries — largely due to more gold and jewellery being worn as the local community travels across the borough to celebrate.

Throughout the year and in particular during religious festivals we are asking people to keep vigilant and make sure their possessions are secure. We also advise the following: Do not wear valuables in public. Cover them up so as to not attract untoward attention when in public.

Store high-value goods in a safe when you are not at home. Remember to secure the safe to the floor or wall. Photograph any items of jewellery separately. This will assist insurance companies and the police in their recovery.

Where possible, and if you are wearing or holding valuable items, always travel to and from your celebration in a group using well-lit streets. Try to avoid walking alone.

If you drive, keep your car locked and remember where it is parked.

Consider the use of property identity pens and unique encoded traceable liquids.

Clearly the religious festivals, the overt wearing of valuable jewellery and the periods when residents are away from their homes to attend festivals and events create an opportunity for some members of the criminal fraternity.

Our aim is to make it as hard as possible for them to identify and target individuals and their homes.

We will respond robustly to those who are responsible for committing these offences and thoroughly investigate their crimes.

In the coming months, police officers and safer neighbourhoods teams will be handing out crime preventative literature on the transport routes and around the religious and community centres and through local team meetings.

Please take a few simple measures to protect yourself and help reduce robberies and burglaries of this kind.

Chief Inspector Nick Davies

Metropolitan Police