The Christmas holidays are a time for celebration and that means more cooking, home decorating ? and a greater risk of fire due to the increased activity.

The holiday of every resident will be a lot safer and happier by observing some safety tips during the Yuletide season.

?Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

?Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

?Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer?s instructions for installation and maintenance.

?Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged bulbs before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.

?Always unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.

?Don?t mount lights in any way that can damage the cord?s wire insulation.

?Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.

?Turn off all lights before leaving the house or going to bed.

Holiday entertaining:

?Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the stove.

?Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarettes can smoulder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts before discarding or flush them down the toilet.

?After a party always check on, between and under upholstery and cushions. Check inside trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smouldering.

?Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children.

? Test your smoke alarm.

A man tried to gain entry in to a woman?s house on Monday by asking to speak with her son whose name he did not know.

He knocked on the elderly woman?s door and when she opened it he asked to speak with her son.

The woman became suspicious when the man did not know her son?s name.

When she would not let him in the house he forcefully pushed the front door open, knocking the woman to the floor.

Several watches were stolen as the woman screamed for help.

The man escaped on a motorcycle as a neighbour came to assist the woman.

The man is described as dark skinned, 5ft 8in, and of medium build. He was wearing a black jacket and riding a dark motorcycle. The incident happened at a Clarendon Road, Smith?s home at 4.30 p.m.

Despite warnings to the public about the threat of break-ins, Police reported that nine homes were broken into last weekend. There were three break-ins in Pembroke, while there were two in both Paget and Sandy?s Parish, and one was reported in St. George?s and Warwick. Prowling incidents were also responded to in St. George?s and Pembroke.

On the roads Police made two arrests over the weekend for suspicion of driving while impaired and there were reports of 32 traffic accidents. Seven of the road traffic collisions resulted in injury whereas 25 accidents only caused damage to the vehicles.

A Warwick woman awoke to see a burglar fleeing her home with her purse.

Police said the unknown male broke into the woman?s home recently and made off with her Luis Vuitton purse containing $150 in cash and other personal items. Police attended the Forest Hills Road residence in the early hours in response to the incident, which occurred some time earlier that morning.

The culprit was 6ft with brown skin. According to the complainant he was wearing dark clothing and a black bandanna with a white band around it.

Police are investigating.