Tag Archives: Burglary

1 in 5 Students fall victim to property crime

It may surprise you that according to the National Union of Students, as many as one in five students fall victim to property crime whilst at college or university. 

Thieves know that student residences are full of expensive gear; laptops, tablets, phones, bikes and cameras provide rich pickings. In fact, the average break-in costs £900 to repair the damage and replace belongings.

A lot of theft is opportunistic – a few simple steps can be enough to make thieves think twice and move on. 

  • When you go out, make sure all windows and doors are locked. It’s an obvious one but double-check!
  • Check windows for vulnerabilities. Make sure they’re robust, secure and fitted with locks. If they’re not, speak to your landlord or letting agent. 
  • Don’t advertise your valuables to thieves. Ensure your valuables are not visible through windows. 
  • Register your possessions at Immobilise.com. It’s FREE and provides the simplest way to return your property if found after loss or theft. 
  • Keep your gate shut and bolted at all times. Ensure bins don’t make it easy for burglars to climb over walls or fences. 
  • Simulate occupancy with light timers or products like a FakeTV. 
  • Get insurance. It is tempting to save money, but it’s a false economy. Make sure it covers all your stuff. 
  • Bikes should be kept in the school’s designated areas and secured with a D-lock to an immovable object such as a ground-mounted loop. Don’t forget to register the bike at Immobilise.com

Registering your property at Immobilise.com is FREE. You can register property irrespective of any 3rd party labelling used; it’s all accepted!

For 20% off all Immobilise marking products, including TV Simulators and Bike Security Tags at shop.immobilise.com, use code BACKTOSCHOOL22 at the checkout. Discount valid until 31st October 2022.

Preparation is the key to staying safe this winter

You will hear this saying a lot in the coming weeks leading up to Christmas. Preparation is not only a great idea help your Christmas planning run smoothly, but it’s worth preparing for those unforeseen circumstances around the festive period.
 

The last thing you want around this time of year is to worry about burglars but according to The Office of National Statistics, police recorded burglary is up by 3% and theft by 7% compared to last year. So, it is imperative we do as much as possible to keep ourselves, our loved ones and our property as safe as possible.

Follow a few simple tips for a safer holiday season:

Staying Safe this Winter

  1. Register on Immobilise: Before you get too busy with Christmas preparations take some time to record your valuable items on Immobilise, so you have a secure list of precious items.
  2. Deter potential criminals by investing in a motion sensor outdoor flood light and some Immobilise window stickers.
  3. Fake it till you make it, with a Fake TV that recreates the same flickering glow that looks like someone is watching TV, and invest in light timers especially if you are going away.
  4. Keep curtains closed, at night especially when it gets darker earlier and ensure Christmas presents are out of site.
  5. Don’t advertise on social media when you plan to go away. Publishing your movements can let burglars know when there is an empty house.
  6. Preparation is key. Be sure to cancel any scheduled deliveries such as newspaper or milk deliveries that might alert someone you aren’t there.
  7. Don’t hide spare keys. Burglars often watch a house for a few days before attempting to break in and leaving them a key makes it that much easier!
  8. Secure the outside of your home with deadlocks on windows and make sure any sheds or garages are secure.

Police warn public on risk of shed burglaries

The Sunderland Echo have reported that Police in the area are offering vital ‘sheducation’ to the public – in a bid to keep opportunistic burglars locked out.

Crime-fighting cops in South Tyneside and Sunderland are reminding householders of the importance of shed security – after a recent surge in the number of sheds being broken into, with bikes being stored inside being the main target for crooks.

Neighbourhood Inspector Paul Young said:

People often don’t realise the value of the items they are storing inside their shed but if they’ve got expensive tools and bikes in there it all adds up and unfortunately, burglars are wise to this.

Home security is vitally important and most people install security measures to protect their home however, they then don’t have adequate security on sheds and outbuildings leaving these types of buildings vulnerable to being targeted by thieves.

A good quality lock could make all the difference over whether or not a burglar chooses to break-in to a particular building.

Officers also say registering items that are stored inside the shed on national property register immobilise.com can help ensure it is returned to the owner if it is stolen. It also helps identify those involved in burglary.

Insp Young added:

When we recover property we suspect has been stolen we will search immobilise to see if the property has been registered – if it has not only can we return the property but we can clearly identify the person in possession of the property as not being the owner and arrest them for handling stolen goods.

To register property visit: www.immobilise.com

Property marking warning for building site burglars

York Police are fighting back against building site burglars – by making valuable tools and plant kit ‘too hot to handle’ with Immobilise.

Following a spate of recent burglaries targeting building sites York Police are taking proactive steps to deter criminals and ensure property is easy to identify.

Officers are attending a building site in Clifford Street, York, today (Tuesday 27 October) to security mark and log all equipment there, ensuring would-be thieves would find it impossible to sell on. The site was recently targeted by burglars, and police are now inviting other building firms in York to get their equipment marked too.

Property on the site will be security marked using dot peen marking, in conjunction with the Hermes recording system to log it on Immobilise, the UK national property register database.

Property marking sessions at other sites are also taking place, and officers are now inviting firms in York to get in touch so their equipment can also be security marked and registered.

PCSO Chris Shearing, of York Police, said:

Getting your property marked – whether it’s plant kit, power tools, bikes or gadgets – is one of the most effective ways to protect it from criminals.

The permanent marking will deter thieves, as it makes it far harder to sell on. It will also be much easier for us to return it to its rightful owner if it is lost or stolen, and could provide vital evidence to secure a prosecution.

Plant kit and power tools on building sites can be worth thousands of pounds, which is why it’s so important to get it security marked and registered. We want the message to go out to would-be burglars that targeting sites in York is simply not worth the risk.

Dot peen marking involves using a tungsten carbide-tipped pin to indent an object with dots to create a visible, permanent unique number. The unique number is entered onto the national Immobilise property register database. The dot peen machines in York were funded by North Yorkshire Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, and Safer York Partnership.

For more information, visit www.northyorkshire.police.uk/whatisdotpeen. Drop-in sessions for members of the public are promoted in the local press and on Twitter with the hashtag #whatisdotpeen, via the local team accounts @snayorkcityeast, @snayorknorth and @snayorkwest.

Any businesses or organisations in York interested in getting their property marked should contact their local police team by dialling 101 and selecting option 2.

Tameside Police work to cut burglaries in the run-up to Christmas

The Tameside Advertiser has reported that their local Police force will be out on the streets this week as they continue their campaign to reduce burglaries in the run-up to Christmas.

They stated that the initiative known as “Operation Storm” was launched earlier this year in response to a 10 per cent rise in burglaries across Greater Manchester. Since July Police have slashed the number of burglaries in the borough by 65, compared to the same period last year, and have pledged to carry on with help from the public.

Dedicated teams of officers will be sent out to arrest suspects, visit known offenders and reassure victims of burglary. They will be patrolling the streets handing out crime prevention advice in hotspot areas and promoting the www.immobilise.com where residents can register their valuables online to make it easier for police to identify them if stolen.

Chief Insp Ged O’Connor, of Tameside police, said:

The level of assistance residents have shown the police in tackling burglary is to be commended. The community will not support criminality and there is no hiding place for those people who choose to break the law. Storm sends a clear message to would-be thieves that the police are working around the clock to prevent crime and bring those people who choose to commit offences to justice.

To read the souce article in full please go to: Tameside Adverstiser: No hiding place for thieves as residents back purge