CASAC  has received a government grant of £300,000 from the Safer Homes fund to help protect over 2000 homes in Leeds, Bradford and Calderdale against burglars.

 CASAC, an established West Yorkshire social enterprise, applied directly to the government’s £6 million Safer Homes fund in 2009. The Leeds-based community organisation will use the money for ‘target hardening’ – running security checks on houses, advising householders on security and bogus callers, and installing security devices, including improved window and door locks, in around 720 houses in Leeds.

 CASAC aims to use this grant move quickly to protect vulnerable homes, and will focus on those people at highest risk of burglary, including previous burglary victims, older and disabled people, lone parents, at-risk young adults, students and people on low incomes.

 “The police’s Crime Reduction Officers refer people directly to us. As soon as possible, usually within 48 hours, we send round one of our Security Engineers. The engineer can assess any security upgrades that are needed, and may even be able to carry out many of them straight away,” says Neil Goldup, Chief Executive of CASAC.

 “Preventing burglary can be as simple as locking your doors and windows, yet 18% of people don’t have proper door locks and 14% don’t have window locks. These grants will help make the homes of thousands of people more secure and show them the simple steps they can take to protect themselves,” says Home Office Minister Alan Campbell.

 “We were delighted to support CASAC in its application to gain funding from the Safer Homes fund, based on the work they have done with us in the past,” says Rob Kirton, Crime Reduction Co-ordinator at Safer Leeds. “I am certain that CASAC’s target hardening service, skill and professionalism has markedly contributed to the overall reduction in burglary rates in Leeds.”

 The government created the Safer Homes Fund in April 2009 to help voluntary and community projects and other third sector organisations make more than 45,000 homes in 93 priority areas more secure, particularly targeting those people most vulnerable to burglary. In total, CASAC has received almost a third of a million pounds from Safer Homes, targeted to secure around 2160 homes in Calderdale and Bradford, as well as Leeds.