ATB supplied a new bike which was used as bait to catch cycle thieves in the act. The bike – a Marin hardtail – was chained to a set of railings in Guildford with an inferior lock to tempt the bike snatchers.

230 bikes had been stolen in the Guildford area in a three month period.

The operation was the brainchild of neighbourhood police officer Sean Burridge. He said:

ATB gave us a great bike and it was just what we needed. Bike crime over the past six months has fallen by 50 percent as a result of this and several other initiatives.

Ross Patterson, ATB’s sales and marketing director, said:

This operation highlights the need for good bike security and the merits of a strong lock.

The police put an Immobitag transponder in the bike’s frame. This allows them to identify stolen bikes and return to their rightful owners. ATB’s Platinum Care programme includes insurance and a subsidised purchase of a transponder device.

For more some very informative advice on bike security please go to: http://quickrelease.tv/?p=327

To read the source story please go to: BikeBiz

Did you receive a new mobile phone, camera, bike, MP3 player or ’sat nav’ this Christmas?

They are recommending that the public should Register your personal property at Immobilise.com so that, if your valuables get lost or stolen and police recover it, you’ll get it back. It could also help police officers to get the burglar or robber convicted.

It takes a few minutes to complete the registration, allowing you to create a free, private and secure portfolio of all your personal property.

Inspector Sean Hodgson, Force crime reduction officer, said:

Becoming a victim of crime is an incredibly upsetting experience for people, especially if personal possessions such as cameras or mobile phones are stolen with irreplaceable photos of loved ones and phone numbers of family and friends.

We are asking residents to help us and help themselves by registering all their valuables on the Immobilise database. People can register any item with a serial number.

He added:

Police officers may then be able to return any items they find to their rightful owner. It may also enable officers to secure a successful prosecution.

To read the source article in full please go to: Thames Valley Police Website

© Copyright & Credit: The York Press

In an expansion of the Immobitag cycle tagging scheme run by York Police, Operation Spoke is being launched by the YorkGuildhall Safer Neighbourhood Team, and officers hope thousands more bikes in York will registered in the coming weeks.

Complementing the Immobitag RF tag scheme, this additional initiative works by invisibly marking cycles with a unique registration number which will be stored on the Immobilise Property Register along with details of the cycle’s rightful owner.

PC Jonathan Hodgeon, one of the officers behind the scheme, said:

The unique number will be written on the bike in permanent UV pen, which officers can quickly scan in seconds, and if you don’t own the bike you will have to account for that.

This will help with city centre bike crime and also abandoned bikes will be able to be reunited with their owners. Along with Cycle City York, we are aiming to make bikes as well protected and identifiable as cars.

Sgt Jon Asvadi, who was also behind the launch, said:

There will be a lot of people saying that we are going back ten years with UV marking but it’s only through Safer York Partnership and City of York Council that we have been able to bring together the technology of UV pens, torches and the Immobilise website to create a process which is simple and quick and we know will be successful.

Sgt Asvadi said the data would be entered by vetted volunteers and special constables to ensure regular officers were not tied up.

Operation Spoke registration events will be held in York from January 13 to 17, in Parliament Street, on January 14, from 9am to 3pm, in Front Street, Acomb, on January 21, from 9am to 3pm at Oaklands Sports Centre, on January 23 at Tesco’s Askham Bar store, on January 20 and 21 at St Lawrence’s School and on January 22 and February 8 at the University of York.

To read the source article please go to: The York Press

Greater Manchester Police say January is a peak time for robberies and muggings as people step out with valuable new gifts such as mobile phones and MP3 players. Statistics also show young people are the most likely victims.

In January 2009 there were 56 robberies across Trafford compared to 32 the previous month.

Trafford Division’s crime reduction advisor, Eleanor Kelly, said:

We’re advising people to leave their valuables at home or keep them out of sight when they are out and about on the street, in parks and on public transport.

It’s worth remembering that while most people are out hunting for bargains in the sales, criminals may be on a spree of a different kind, especially in busy high street areas. Most robberies are opportunistic, so by keeping valuables out of view you can reduce your risk of becoming a target.

Also, remember to register your valuables on www.immobilise.com

To read the sources story in full please go to: www.messengernewspapers.co.uk

Local officers are keen to remedy this and return the bikes to their owners. An open day is planned at Burnham-on-Sea Police Station on Saturday January 9, 2010 between 4.00 – 6.00pm. Anyone who has had a bike stolen are encouraged to attend to see if any of the cycles are their missing property.

However, PCSO Gill Bawler said:

We are really keen to reunite as many bikes with their owners as possible. I would also like to take the opportunity to encourage people, especially if you have had a new bike for Christmas, to register it on www.immobilise.com or get your property marked. If you get your bicycle security marked it dramatically increases the chances of it being returned should it be lost or stolen.

Further information regarding home security, property marking and crime prevention can be obtained from your local Safer Stronger Neighbourhood team. You can contact them by calling 0845 456 7000 or you can visit: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk and select the Crime Prevention heading.

To read the source story in full please go to: http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/

Merseyside Police have adopted the Immobilise system – a property registering scheme which aims to make life as difficult as possible for thieves. The aim of the scheme is to encourage members of the public to register with the Immobilise website (www.immobilise.com), a simple process which takes just a few minutes.

The website allows users to register their personal possessions on a secure database free of charge. If any lost or stolen items are recovered by police, officers can retrieve the owner’s details from the website. They can be returned to the owner with, in the case of theft, a better prospect of a successful prosecution.

The Immobilise website is linked to the National Mobile Property Register, a national police database of registered property ownership and stolen property records.

Chief Inspector Stuart Ellison comments:

Being a victim of crime is awful at anytime, but the impact can often be greater at Christmas, particularly if gifts are stolen. Registering items on the site only takes a few minutes and it may help you become reunited with your property if it is stolen or lost.

The NMPR is searched thousands of times a day by forces across the UK and it is used routinely by Merseyside Police.

Merseyside Police advise taking the following precautions with items such as mobile phones and MP3 players:

• Be aware of your surroundings, and conceal items if you feel uneasy.
• Never leave your property unattended, keep it on you, not near you.
• Be particularly vigilant whilst travelling home from school or college and when leaving railway stations or other public transport locations.
• Finally, register your property for free at www.immobilise.com

Basically, you can register anything with a serial number – simply log onto www.immobilise.com. Then if any item of registered property is stolen, report it to the Police and, in the case of a mobile phone, for example, give police your IMEI number, inform your service provider and tell them to block both the SIM and handset. You should then update your online Immobilise account.

To read the Merseyside Police news article in full please go to: www.merseyside.police.uk

There have been 26 Operation Relentless “days of action” since its launch in June 2005, which has resulted in more than 2150 arrests.

“Operation Relentless on Property” has targeted thieves and those who handle stolen goods in addition to highlighting crime prevention initiatives to the public to foil burglars and other criminals.

As part of the day of action, police and partner agencies engaged in a range of activities across Somerset. A warrant was carried out in the Taunton area leading to the arrest of a man for handling stolen goods. Vulnerable Vehicle Checks were carried out across the area, inspecting vehicles and identifying those with items of value left on display. The owners of the cars have been sent a letter reminding them to keep items such as phones, MP3s and Satellite Navigation Systems out of sight.

Officers also visited several second hand goods retailers with Trading Standards to ensure that they were complying with regulations and not trading in stolen items. Six arrests were made during the course of the morning. Five men were arrested for theft and another man was arrested for handling stolen goods. Four have been given bail pending further enquiries.

Officers from the district’s CID department also managed to reunite 250 items of detained property with their rightful owners this week.

Detective Inspector Alan West said:

When police receive items of property that have been recovered from thefts and burglaries, officers try to trace the owners of the items to return their possessions to them. If electrical items are registered on Immobilise and other items such as jewellery or antiques are property marked with the owners address or postcode, this process can be straightforward.

However, unmarked or unregistered items can languish in the Detained Property Department unclaimed for long periods and some items can never be linked to an owner. I would really encourage the public to either register their items on Immobilise or mark them with a UV pen or other property marking device so we can return them to you if the worst were to happen. Marking your items can also sometimes act as a deterrent to would be criminals.

Neighbourhood officers and PCSOs were also in Taunton town centre this morning registering people’s property, such as mobile phones, cameras and mp3 players, on the Immobilise website and carrying out bike and property marking. The Deputy Chief Constable, Rob Beckley, joined them in giving festive advice on how to beat the burglars and assisted with a bicycle property marking session. The team will be in the town centre again on January 13 and 21 offering these services for those who had new bikes or electronic equipment for Christmas.

In Bridgwater, officers held a property marking session at Bridgwater College for the students to register mobile phones and laptops on the Immobilise website and officers from Burnham-on-Sea visited King Alfred School in Highbridge and Kings of Wessex School in Cheddar to take property marking kits to mark and record mobile phones and MP3 players. Other property marking sessions also took place in Wellington Square in Minehead and the Town Hall in Dulverton.

DCC Beckley said:

We really want people to have a wonderful Christmas and New Year but we ask them to take some sensible measures to ensure that their festive period isn’t marred by becoming a victim of opportunistic thieves. One-in-four burglaries occur after the householder failed to secure their home and the burglar entered the property via an open door or window!

I encourage people to think about how their house looks when they go out – don’t make it obvious that there is nobody home, leave a light on and the radio playing and most importantly – make sure you lock all doors and windows, even if you are only popping out for a short period of time.

Inspector Nick Greenhalgh from the Community Safety team at Taunton Police Station said people can help protect themselves from opportunistic thieves by employing these simple measures:

• Ensure windows and doors are shut and locked when you are out
• Lock sheds and garages
• Don’t leave car keys left in an outside porch or within reach of letter boxes
• Shoppers are advised not to leave presents in view on car seats. They should be taken home immediately and not left in the vehicle.
• Christmas presents – wrapped or unwrapped – should not be left in view in the home.
• Don’t leave boxes from new TVs or laptops on display outside your home, take them to the tip.
• Register your property on www.immobilise.com
• Mark your property – kits are available from your local police teams.

Further information regarding home security and crime prevention can be obtained from your local Safer Stronger Neighbourhood team. You can contact them by calling 0845 456 7000 or you can log on to our website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk and select the Crime Prevention heading.

To read the source article in full please go to: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/NewsDetails.aspx?nsid=18923&t=1&lid=5

The neighbourhood Police Community Support Officers visited Patchway Youth Club and Filton High School and helped the young people to mark their bicycles.

Neighbourhood Sergeant Steve Ives said:

Bike theft is one of the most commonly reported crimes. Bikes are worth a lot of money, so invest in a good-quality lock and use it.

Marking your bike with your postcode does deter thieves, because it means that police can prove it is stolen. You can also register it for free at www.immobilise.com, a secure property database checked by police across the country.

On Saturday December 12 2009 PCSO Rob Hendra visited Patchway Youth Club. He helped youngsters aged between nine and 13 to mark their bicycles and register them on the immobilise website.

Avon and Somerset police are encouraging people to mark their property with a day of events under Operation Relentless today (Thursday December 17 2009).

Chief Inspector Peter Warren said:

While South Gloucestershire is a safe place with low crime levels, people mustn’t be complacent about security. Most of our reported burglaries are from homes which have been left insecure.

Most thefts from cars are when property like a sat nav has been left on view, and thefts of bikes which have been left unlocked. Criminals are opportunists – let’s not give them that chance.

Officers are running bicycle marking events throughout December and January – and offering the chance to win an £150 voucher towards cycling accessories. Visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/cyclecompetition for more details. The competition closes on January 31 2010.

To read the source article in full please go to: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/NewsDetails.aspx?nsid=18902&t=1&lid=2

Officers in the new “cop shop” at The Mall Bristol, in Broadmead, are inviting shoppers to stop by and have their Christmas purchases registered on a national property database, called Immobilise.

Keith Rundle, Neighbourhood Inspector for Cabot and Clifton, said:

At this time of year people are thinking about getting the last bit of Christmas shopping done and all other things festive. But if someone was to break into your home and steal all those presents Christmas would be ruined and you would be very out of pocket.

Items that can be traced and identified are harder to sell and far less attractive to thieves, so registering on Immobilise can be a deterrent, and if the worst did happen it may help us to reunite property with its rightful owner – if recovered.

We want people to take steps to stop themselves becoming victims of burglary. Visiting our officers in The Mall Bristol or at Curry’s in Channon’s Hill and registering on Immobilise is a good start.

There are also all sorts of additional tips and advice we can give to you on other ways to make your home, and everything in it, more secure – so come and see us.

Immobilise is easy to use and completely free. It is the only national property database that will throw up results through Avon and Somerset Police’s standard checks on recovered stolen property if the items have been registered.

It is also a deterrent to thieves because items that can be traced and identified are harder to sell and can be less attractive to thieves.

To use Immobilise anyone can visit the website www.immobilise.com and open an account and put details and serial numbers of items like laptops, cameras, mobile phones and bikes into the account.

If the items are ever stolen the account holder logs on and marks them as stolen. They will then be flagged up on the national database as stolen when checked by retailers or police forces.

To read the source article please go to: Bristol Police

36 year old Hampsted resident Rocky Taylor was found riding a bike that had been stolen from outside Turnham Green Tube Station in November 2008.

When officers from Turnham Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team searched his flat, they found numerous cycles and parts.

Computer analysis linked Mr Taylor to numerous internet advertisements for second hand bikes. Some of these bikes turned out to be stolen from burglaries and from the street.

A lengthy investigation led to Mr Taylor being charged with several offences of being in possession of criminal property, to which he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Taylor was sentenced to a total of 6 months imprisonment, which was suspended for two years. As well as this, he was ordered to undertake 200 hours community work and pay £750 costs. Taylor was also prohibited from using, buying or selling cycles and cycle parts for a period of two years.

After sentencing, PS Ben Clark of Turnham Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team, told ChiswickW4.com,

What began as a simple bike theft in Chiswick led us across London and uncovered an Aladdin’s cave of bikes and bike parts.

We will continue to target cycle thieves in Chiswick, and we will endeavour to prosecute those who trade in stolen goods. It is worth noting that the cycles we were able to return to their rightful owners quickly were all registered on Immobilise.

By registering your cycle, we are able to get it back to you and it helps us to prosecute criminals, as it can help prove that the goods were stolen and not bought legitimately.

Information on immobilise can be found on www.immobilise.com

To read the source article please go to: www.chiswickw4.com

London commuters Credit: Stuart Coles

According to a recent news item on the BBC site, this year has seen a sharp rise in the number of bike thefts in the nation’s capital, emphasising the need for greater bike security and use of systems like Immobilise.

Police figures have shown that a total of 426 bikes were stolen in Westminster between April and August this year compared to 244 in the same period in 2009 – a 71% rise.

The West End was the worst-hit area in the year 2008/2009 with 436 bikes stolen, the Metropolitan Police said.

London as a whole has seen a 6% rise in bike thefts with 18,218 cycles reported stolen since last April.
Year-on-year figures for Westminster show 1,466 cycles were stolen between last April and March 2009, compared to 1,420 bikes the previous year and 1,277 in 2006-2007.

Across London 17,182 cycles were stolen in 2007/2008, fewer than the year before which saw 18,646 bike thefts.

Ch Insp Glenn Tunstall, who works in the central Westminster area, said thefts had risen as a result of the increase in cycle journeys in London.

He said:

We have increased our patrols, doing high visibility patrols and more proactive work around thefts. As a result since the beginning of the year our arrests have risen by 333%.

But in a lot of these arrests we are unable to trace the owners of these cycles which makes it very difficult for us to achieve justice.

So we are asking members of the public to register with firms like immobilise.com and make a note of their frame numbers and that will allow us to be more effective.

Other boroughs which saw a high number of thefts were Islington, Camden, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Kingston, Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea.

To read the source article please go to the BBC News website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8207023.stm

Police in Cambridge are urging cyclists to mark their bicycles after an average of nearly 11 bicycles a day were reported stolen in the university city during October.

Just two of the 338 bicycles were reunited with their owners, according to Cambridge News, as thieves targeted new students at the start of the academic year.

Lewis Herbert, a member of Cambridge city council, told the newspaper: “I am worried and very concerned at the risk of a major outbreak of thefts in the autumn and the high theft figures through 2009,” adding that there should be additional secure areas where people can leave their bikes safely.

In the first ten months of 2009, more than 1,900 bikes have been stolen in the city, a 13% increase on the comparable period in 2008, with a 31% increase in October alone compared to the same month last year.

Cambridgeshire Police have launched a campaign called “Lock it or Lose it” to combat the soaring levels of bike theft in the city, with Sergeant Gordon Morgenthaler working together with the council and Cambridge Cycling Campaign to educate cyclists.

Sergeant Morgenthaler told Cambridge News: “Prevention is the ultimate aim, but we also want people to register their bikes on immobilise.com.” The latter provides security tracking services including security tags for bicycles.

This article was orginally published by Simon MacMichael writing for Road.cc

Not In My Neighbourhood week is a national home office scheme, now in its third year, which encourages people to learn more about work being done to tackle crime and other problems in their area and is a great opportunity for local agencies, the Police and other partners to show-case the work they do to make communities safer and improve their quality of life.

A range of initiatives will happen over the course of the week such as operations to tackle anti social behaviour, dangerous driving, and drugs to more light-hearted events such as crime reduction bingo for elderly residents.

Chief Constable Colin Port said:

Not in My Neighbourhood Week is a great opportunity to proactively work with people to find out what their main concerns are and show the general public that we are tackling the priorities they have identified.

Also launched this week as part of the “Not in My Neighbourhood” activities, Police will add some sparkle and shine to the streets of Somerset West with the start of “Operation Glitter”, their winter-long “Cycle Safe” campaign.

The scheme is being run by staff at Taunton and Wellington Police Stations between November 2009 and February 2010 in partnership with Ralph Coleman Cycles, Halfords, Bicycle Chain, Kings Cycles and Ian’s Cycle Centre.

During the campaign the police will work with cyclists and the public to help promote safe cycling with an aim to reduce the amount of serious road traffic collisions, which happen because cyclists are not properly lit and to reduce cycle thefts at a time when many people receive new bikes for Christmas.

Cyclists found without lights during the official hours of darkness, face being given a fixed penalty notice. However, if lights are then bought, the receipt and the notice can be taken to a police station to have the ticket written off.

Officers will also provide information on how to protect your bike including how to register it on a national police website www.immobilise.com.

Sergeant Anthony Crowter says:

Operation Glitter is a great opportunity to reinforce how important it is to have bicycle lights during the hours of darkness and wear the correct health safety clothing.

This an educational drive to remind people of the legal requirement to use bike lights, we will be delaying a prosecution by requiring people we stop to produce their new lights with a receipt within 7 days. I would rather someone bought a set of lights than have to pay a £30 fine.

This story was orginally published on the Avon & Somerset Police website: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/

To combat this Police in Bath have been working hard at Freshers Fayres and talking to students generally about keeping property safe. On Friday 2nd October at Bath University Freshers Fayre thousands of property marking UV pens were given out, advice given on crime prevention and hundreds of students registered their phones on www.immobilise.com, a national property register that records details so property can be returned or traced if stolen.

Sergeant Geoff Cannon part of the Community Safety team at Bath Police Station said:

A student house to a burglar can be a playground to take several high value items in one go. Students can keep themselves safe however by just following a few simple guidelines. Keep all high value items out of sight and away from windows where they can be easily seen. Secure all doors to your property at all times and know who has keys to come and go.

News article source: Avon & Somerset Police

Cambridge is one of the worst effected cities as accoring to road.cc there were 1,433 cycle thefts between January- July, prompting a police crackdown on the crime, but there is a massive increase in bikes being stolen during autumn as 30,000 university students arrive in the city.

In October 2006 and 2007, more than 300 bikes were stolen, and this compared to 140 in April 2006 and 170 during the same month in 2007 and 2008. The figure fell to around 225 last year, but due to the increase in bike thefts in other months this year police are expecting a record number this month.

Cambridge City Councillor Lewis Herbert has called for more secure areas for cyclists to leave bikes and told Cambridge News:

I hope the publicity campaign helps but I am still worried and very concerned at risk of a major outbreak of thefts in the autumn and the high theft figures through 2009.

There is organised theft across the city of bikes not locked to fixtures and the problem of new bikes and new students in the autumn. Cycle theft is probably the biggest readily reducible set of crimes in the city and as Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Julie Spence and others like me have said, it needs a far tougher set of initiatives to crack it.

Sgt Gordon Morgenthaler of Cambridgeshire Police has teamed up with Cambridge City Council and the Cambridge Cycling Campaign as well as cycle shops in the city to raise awareness about the crime, and he is asking people to register their bikes on immobilise.com.

For more interesting figures and to read the source article in full please go to: road.cc

Police from the Bolton Central Neighbourhood Policing Team have been at Bolton University all week, marking property and registering students’ laptops and phones on the Immobilise database.

They have also been giving advice and crime-prevention tools displaying GMP’s new student safety campaign logo.

Inspector Phil Spurgeon said:

Every year, we run safety campaigns aimed at providing students with advice to prevent them becoming a victim of crime.

However, for new students in particular, crime prevention is always going to be the last thing on their minds when they are leaving home for the first time and they are likely to think it will never happen to them.

Local neighbourhood officers were on hand to meet and greet the new students and their parents, to remind them of how they can keep themselves and their valuables safe. Safety messages are also being sent each week to student’s phones in the area.

Students can follow simple steps to help stop thieves, including keeping valuables out of sight, always being aware of what is going on around them, keeping to well-lit areas and shutting and locking all windows and doors, even when they are at home.

To read the source article in full please go to: Bolton News

Police in Bath

This week sees the arrival of Bath’s biggest influx of new students at the University of Bath and police are involved again getting in touch with the new students in the city.

Chief Superintendent Gary Davies says;

In an ideal world I would like to be able to send letters to parents of new students before their children arrive in Bath for their time studying here. Mainly this would be a letter of reassurance as we are a safe environment for young people to come to but also to just highlight the ways in which students can help look after themselves by taking notice of some simple crime prevention advice. Our work with the students when they arrive this week will go a long way to keeping them and their property safe. We are also committed to a standard of behaviour in our night time economy and we need to make sure our new residents know how to behave.

At the freshers fayre on October 2nd students will get crime prevention advice, see a rape awareness campaign and have the opportunity to ask questions of officers on issues such as safety and recruitment. Students will also get the opportunity to register mobile phones, ipods and valuable property on www.immobilise.com. Immobilise helps UK police forces to identify the owner of lost & stolen goods thousands of times every day and return items to rightful owners.

Sergeant Geoff Cannon from Bath’s Community Safety Team commented:

When new 1st year students arrive at university the first thing on their mind is rarely to keep expensive property out of sight or to check locks on accommodation or to remember to walk home with people they know and not alone. It is understandable that they are excited and we want to welcome them to our city to enjoy all that it has to offer. Bath police officers are very approachable and this gives students the opportunity to talk to us on the day and to feel confident to talk to us at any time in the future.

Bath police are working on crime reduction at the freshers fayre with Heart FM and thank them for their support. They both continue to promote the message “Bath is a beautiful city we need your help to keep it that way”.

To read the source article in full please go to: Bath Police (Avon and Somerset Police)

PC Carr from Highgate Safer Neighbourhoods Team with Ralph Crisp

London’s Metropolitan Police has reported that officers from its Safer Neighbourhoods Teams have been helping people to register their bicycles on immobilise.com in an effort to combat a spate of bike thefts in which eighteen bicycles worth an estimated total of almost £13,000 were reported stolen in Highgate alone.

Officers are also carrying out covert and overt patrols and ‘decoy bikes’, to see if they can catch criminals red handed. Officers have made several arrests on suspicion of handling stolen goods as a result of proactive police work.

Sergeant Leon Christodoulou, Highgate Safer Neighbourhoods team said:

We’ve been going door to door to offer crime prevention advice on car and bike security and register people’s property on immobilise. We are happy for anyone in the area that owns a bike to contact us on 020 8721 2673 and we will arrange to register the bike on immobilise.com for them at no cost.

Police urge cyclists to follow some simple guidance around securing their bicycles, to help prevent theft:

• Record and register your bike: – register your bicycle model, make and frame number free on the immobilise.com property register.
• Take a clear colour photograph of your bike and make a written record of its description, including any unique features.
• Invest in quality locks and use them. Look for the ‘secured by design’ quality mark. As a general guide look to spend about a tenth of the value of your bike on locks to secure it. (ie: secure a £1000 bike with £100 worth of locks).
• Secure removable parts. Lock both wheels and the frame together. Take smaller parts and accessories with you, for example, lights, pumps and quick-release saddles.
• Secure your bike to an immovable object. Consider installing a floor or wall mounted anchor lock for extra security at home. Remember that thieves can remove drainpipes and lift bikes off signposts.
• Always lock your bicycle, even if you are just leaving it for a couple of minutes. 
• Secure your bike in well-lit, busy areas where any potential thief would be easily seen.
• Park your bike safely and considerately, where it will not cause a danger or obstruction to others – particularly the elderly or the very young, or people with a disability.

More infromation onf bike security can be found at the London Cycling Campaign website www.Icc.org.uk for further security advice. If you think you are being offered a stolen bike, ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

To read the source article in full please go to: Metropolitain Police

The suspect was seen in a shirt and tie, putting on a helmet and trouser-ties, tampering with a lock on a Mountain bike, which he then calmly placed into his rucksack, before attempting to ride off.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Kelvey is heading up a special task team focussed on catching criminals who are stealing bikes in the city.  DCI Kelvey wants to dispel the myth that bike thefts are only carried out by opportunist thieves and wants everyone to be more cycle security savvy.

DCI Kelvey said:

With Bristol being named the country’s first Cycle City there is a big drive to double the number of people using bicycles. 

We don’t want this to mean more opportunity for thieves or more victims of crime.

There are plenty of opportunist thieves who will take a bike if it is not secured properly, or those who take bikes from homes during burglaries, but there are also more organised and sophisticated bike thieves now operating.

The man who was arrested by our officers had travelled all the way from London with the intention of returning with a stolen bike.

He was dressed like an office worker so to passers-by, who were not observing closely, it may have just looked like a commuter picking up his bike.

DCI Kelvey went on to add that the Police needed the public support through increased vigilance, and to be proactive in the registration of their bikes and property on the national property database, Immobilise.

DCI Kelvey said:

It is the only property database that will automatically throw up results when we do checks on property through our standard system.

You would be surprised at how many stolen bikes we recover that end up having to be auctioned because there is no way of identifying an owner.

To read the source article in full please go to: Avon and Somerset Police

The Marin Mount Vision 5.8 2009 model bike was stolen, along with a Hard Tail mountain bike, from a home in Hester’s Way Lane in Cheltenham between 10pm on Wednesday August 5 and 5.45am on Thursday August 6.

Annoyed by the theft of their bikes one of the owners began searching online auction sites and immediately recognised one of stolen bikes as theirs. The police were alerted and acted straight away carrying out a warrant at an address in Springbank Grove, the marin bike, which is valued at approximately £2850, was recovered and a 29-year-old man arrested.

The man was later charged with theft of a pedal cycle and bailed to appear at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on September 18. The second bike has not yet been recovered and officers continue to work to try and locate it so that it can also be returned to its owner.

Officers are encouraging cyclists to register their bikes on www.immobilise.com, a website that allows you to create a free, private and secure portfolio of all of your personal property and adds the items to the National Mobile Property Register. If the bike, or registered item, is then lost or stolen the website can be used to tell the Police, your insurer and the second-hand trade to assist in recovering your property and catch the thief.

If you are about to purchase a second-hand bike and are unsure of the bikes history we recommend you consider checking the bikes serial number against Immobilise’s sister service CheckMEND – The Second-hand Database of Lost, Stolen and Counterfeit Goods.

Anyone who thinks they may have seen the outstanding bike is asked to contact Gloucestershire Constabulary on 0845 090 1234 quoting incident number 94 of August 6. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Avon and Somerset Police, in conjunction with Safer Bristol, will be at a number of locations in Bristol throughout National Bike Week (June 13 to 21) dishing out tips and advice, giving away copies of the ‘Spokes’ bike security leaflet, helping people register their bikes on the Immobilise Database and carrying out electronic tagging on bikes.

Bristol Police Constable Frank Simonds, who is involved in the roadshows, said:

Bristol is the UK’s first Cycling City, with many fantastic opportunities to get out and ride.

Our aim is to ensure the roads and cycle paths are a safe and secure place to be a cyclist, be it for leisure or commuting.

Emily Smith, Community Safety Officer with the Safer Bristol Partnership, added:

These events are proving really popular with cyclists helping them to keep their bikes and themselves safe. We have worked hard as a partnership to make the cycle paths in Bristol safe places to ride and we know how much people enjoy riding on them.

Police and community safety officers will be on hand to answer questions, distribute further advice and the ‘the Spokes’ leaflets as well as carry out electronic tagging of bikes on:

* June 17 from 7.30am to 9.30am at Bristol’s Bike & Walk Breakfast – College Green

* June 19 from 10am to 4pm at Stoke Road on Durdham Downs.

* June 21 from 9am to 6pm – Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride – Millennium Square

To cap off National Bike Week a team of PCSOs and Police Officers will also be mounting their bikes to take part in Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride, including PC Andy Stamp, who will be aboard a unicycle.

To read the source article in full go to: Avon and Somerset Police

The force has teamed up with Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cycling City, Cambridge Cycling Campaign and the city’s CCTV operators to target cycle thieves and encourage cyclists to do more to protect their bikes.

The crime reduction partnership is pooling its resources to spread two simple messages:

1. Lock your bike up properly, to a fixed object, using a good-quality lock
2. Register your bike for free at immobilise.com the National Property Register

Sgt Gordon Morgenthaler said:

We are working together to publicise the ‘Lock it or Lose it’ message. Prevention is the ultimate aim, but we also want people to register their bikes on immobilise.com

It is a free national property register that means if your bike is recovered anywhere in the country we can get it back to you. It’s free and easy to use.

Starting with National Bike Week, which runs from June 13 to 21, there will be various events all over the country and Cambridge Police will be at locations around the city registering cycles and giving advice to the public.

Liz Bisset, director of community services at Cambridge City Council, said:

We need the public’s help to reduce bike crime.

Locking your bike securely is such a simple thing to do and hugely reduces the likelihood of a bike being stolen.

We want to get that message out loud and clear to all cyclists in the city.

To read the source article in full please go to: Cambridge News Online

Although summer is traditionally a period which sees a rise in bike thefts, officers across Norwich have said the numbers are a sharp increase and want to warn cyclist to take more care.

Increased patrols have been carried out and nine people have been arrested so far, but officers are warning other bike owners to increase their cycle security.

Inspector Marie James, from the Mile Cross Safer Neighbourhood Team, said although some of the thefts are opportunist, there have been reports of people breaking into sheds and garages to steal the bikes.

She said:

It is a seasonal problem and now the nicer weather is here people are using bikes more.

People need to ensure their sheds are locked and secured as people have been going into sheds looking for bikes – there has been an emerging trend.

Many Safer Neighbourhood Teams are offering cyclists the chance to security mark bikes, and officers advise buying a good quality lock, using a lock to secure the bike-stand, wheel rim and frame together and suggest never leaving the vehicles unattended.

Police teams are also encouraging owners of precious or expensive items to register them on the Immobilise website.

To read the source article in full please go to: The Norwich Evening News

Laura Jones of the Formby Times noted that since May 1 the operation has led to 44 arrests, 11 of those for robbery resulting in five people charged and six bailed.

Police officers have made 462 stop searches and 91 stop checks, while also checking up on 568 “vulnerable premises”.

During the operation 74 mobile phones have been checked against the Immobilise National Property Register which can help reunite victims of robbery with their phones.

The operation has already seen a decrease in crime in the targeted areas.

Along with more patrols and increased intelligence gathering the Police have been working with Secondary School pupils.

Chief Inspector Stuart Ellison said:

With the summer holidays coming arriving soon I want to give out a very strong but clear message, that the Police are cracking down on crime and disorder throughout Sefton and if you or have the intention of committing crime you be caught, arrested and prosecuted.

To read the source article in full please go to: Formby Times Online

There was a 64 per cent increase in cycle thefts in March compared to the same month last year.

Some 264 bikes were stolen in Cambridge and surrounding villages, up from 161 in March last year.

That has prompted Cambridge Regional College (CRC) to take action against the thieves.

The move follows a report in the News about police reviving a crackdown on cycle crime.

Russ McPherson, CRC’s security student liaison manager, said:

We are fully committed to combating cycle crime and as such have only this week, as part of the new summer term, reminded students and staff that they can have their cycle coded by the security team at the college with a unique number provided in partnership with Cambridgeshire police and the Immobilise scheme.

We have tagged around 150 cycles in the last term and have helped owners register them on the http://www.immobilise.com website.

The scheme has helped to tackle the scourge of cycle theft.

Mr McPherson said:

Since the introduction of the tagging scheme last September we have had only three reports of stolen cycles from the King’s Hedges site, which helps to prove that tagging cycles is, while not foolproof, a very good deterrent to cycle theft and greatly aids recovery and return to the rightful owners.

To read the source article in full please go to: Cambridge News Online Website

The 55-year-old officer has even personally returned bikes before they have been reported stolen, after tracking down their owners through manufacturers and retailers.

Pc Le Cheminant, who has served for 29 years, said:

It is very satisfying returning them to their owners, they can’t thank you enough.

Some will not even report them stolen because they don’t think they have a chance of seeing them again.

But police do take bike theft seriously. A lot of burglars and other criminals, especially the younger generation, use them as a way to get around.

Sometimes searches of the offenders’ properties lead to more stolen goods, drugs and weapons.

We can trace the bike owners through crime reports on the police computers, although some make it difficult by just describing say an expensive bike as ‘a blue one’.

Around 430,000 bikes are stolen in Britain each year, usually sold for anything from £10 to more than £300. Cyclists can combat bike theft by recording the serial number, taking pictures, locking them with robust device such as a D-shaped shackle, and registering them and other valuables on immobilise.com.

Of the 55 bikes seized recently in Wythenshawe, Pc Le Cheminant has managed to return 45 to their owners.

Sergeant Jane Butler said:

As the arrests of Pc Le Cheminant demonstrate, we have already had a huge success in retrieving stolen cycles and we hope to build on this.

Residents can assist the police by making sure they secure their bikes when they are leaving them, even for just a short time.

If a thief spots a chance to steal something and get away they will.

To read the source article in full please go to: Manchester Evening Post

Approximately 50 search warrants have been executed and £100,000 worth of property seized.

Recovered items include over 60 mobile phones, games consoles, laptops and computer games and jewellery such as watches and necklaces.

Detective Inspector Tim Evans, Croydon Police’s Priority Crime Unit, said:

We want to remind members of the public of the need to ensure that their homes are secure. Front doors, windows and conservatories should be securely locked and have sturdy frames.

He added:

We recommend that members of the public property mark their possessions and register them on immobilise.com. Registering items and uploading photos on the immobilise website increases the chances of being reunited with them should they be lost or stolen and come to the notice of the police.

To read the source article in full please go to: The Croydon Guardian

Cyclists should help to combat crime by marking their bikes and recording the details.

The crimefighting call comes from PC Ian Castle, of Basingstoke police, who says many cyclists will need reminding after getting new bikes for Christmas.

He also stresses that if a bike is stolen, the owner should always inform the police because officers recover many which are never reunited with their owners.

The Winklebury beat officer said:

Lots of bikes that have been lost or stolen are found and recovered by police, but people don’t always report them stolen because they don’t think we will ever find them.

A lot of people don’t make a note of their serial number either, which makes it hard to identify the bike from others.

The serial number is usually found beneath the bottom bracket. Anyone unable to find it, should get the shop to record it on the invoice.

PC Castle said:

With the serial number, it is easier to catch the offenders and return the property and we do stop a lot of people on bikes. But unless we can identify a stolen bike, we can’t challenge someone.

Anyone wanting more information can contact PC Castle, at Basingstoke police station, on 0845 045 4545, or e-mail ian.castle@hampshire.pnn.police.uk. You can also register your bike’s details online at www.immobilise.com.

To read the source article in full please go to:  Basingstoke Gazette

If these belongings are subsequently stolen and recovered by police, the database allows police to track down their owners.

PCSO Louisa Warburton said:

The response from the children was great and we’re hoping that they will also take home the leaflets we gave them so that their parents can learn about the Immobilise website too.

It would be great if families could register all their expensive gear on the database because it is such a useful tool for us in helping to recover property that has been lost or stolen.

To read the source article in full please go to: The York Press

Local police will be delivering crime prevention messages to high schools in the borough over the coming weeks to warn pupils to leave their new Christmas presents at home or risk losing them.

January is a peak time for street robberies as people step out with valuable new Christmas presents, and young people aged 14-17 are the most likely victims according to police statistics.

Last January, there were over 15 reported crimes of street robbery throughout the Wigan borough.

Top of the shopping list for thieves are mobile phones, with figures showing they are stolen in half of all street robberies.

Wendy O’Neil, Crime Reduction Advisor for Wigan division, said:

We are urging children and young people to leave their valuables at home or hide them when they are on the bus, waiting at the bus stop, on the street or even at school.  Most robberies are opportunistic, so by keeping valuables out of view you can reduce your risk of becoming a target. While most people are out hunting for bargains in the sales, criminals may be on a spree of a different kind, especially in busy high street areas.

Police are issuing the following safety tips to pupils:

• Leave your valuable items at home, or at least out of sight. Don’t show off your favourite Christmas presents on the bus, in the street or in other public places.
• If you need to make a mobile phone call, go into a shop or café rather than phone or text on the street or on public transport. Don’t talk or text and walk!
• If you have your phone in your pocket or bag, turn off the ringer so that you don’t advertise where it is being carried.
• Use pin codes to lock your phone and register it at http://www.immobilise.com
• Don’t bring large amounts of money to school. Only bring what you will spend that day – for example, just enough money for your lunch.
• Keep to well-lit roads and public areas. Don’t use alleys or short-cuts.
• Stay alert. Turn off your personal stereos – they stop you being aware of what’s going on around you.
• If you think you are being followed, cross the road. If the person follows you, cross it again. If you are still worried, go at once to a place where there are lots of people, such as a busy shop, and tell someone what’s going on. If you can, speak to a police officer. If not, go to a family group rather than a single adult and tell them.

To report crime call police on 0161 872 5050 or for more information visit www.gmp.police.uk/mainsite/

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Flat screen TVs, MP3 players, Sat Navs, laptops and mobile phones all feature heavily on letters to Santa this Christmas. Unfortunately they are also top of the most wanted lists of burglars, robbers and thieves.

By registering their valuables on www.immobilise.com owners can put details of their prized possessions on a national database that police can access and compare against items that have been found or recovered from suspected criminals.

The on-line service is totally free and is quick and easy to use. Items marked as being registered with Immobilise are less likely to be stolen, and households displaying Immobilise stickers are less likely to be targeted by burglars.

Almost any item with a serial number recovered by police can be returned to the owner if registered on the database. Users can also add photographs and certificates of ownership to their Immobilise account. Once registered users can update their account with details of new possessions, and take off items they no longer own.

A few minutes on-line can decrease the chances of your most precious possessions being stolen and increase the chances of you getting them back if they are.

To read the source press release go to: Greater Manchester Police

Between September 1 to December 1, 246 pedal cycles were reported stolen in the city along with 162 mobile phones as well as other equipment like Sat Navs and iPods.

Inspector Michelle Lillie, from the University and Eaton Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), said: “We find that the main problem is when people report items as stolen they have very little details about what the property is.”

The website, www.immobilise.com allows people to upload pictures and detail information about personal property in case it is stolen.

Police then link into it when they recover stolen goods.

Insp Lillie added: “Police do recover property however because of the limited description of lost or stolen property it is difficult to match it to a previous owner making the job of proving an offence that little bit more difficult.”

“We are urging the public to help by keeping a record of all personal equipment with a serial or identifiable number and use the Immobilise registration service.”

Serial numbers are needed for goods and to register your mobile phone, you need to know your 15 digit IMEI handset number which can be found by keying in *#06# on the keypad or on a sticker underneath the battery.

For further information contact the University and Eaton SNT on 0845 456 4567 or go to www.safernorfolk.co.uk

To read the original story go to: Norwich Evening News