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

PC Carrie Robertson, from Prestwich police station: Credit: This is Lancashire

This is Lancashire has reported that Police are using the “long arm of the law” to help them tackle burglaries in Prestwich.

Officers from the Prestwich neighbourhood policing team have been posting life-size pictures of a “burglar’s” arm through letterboxes in the Polefield area to remind people to keep their homes locked and valuables out of reach. The operation was launched after a rise in the number of “hook and cane” thefts, where people fish through letterboxes with a cane to steal keys and wallets.

Detective Inspector John Mazzolai, from Bury CID, said:

These leaflets usually have quite an impact and are designed to make people stop and think about how to protect their homes.

One-third of burglaries are due to insecurities in the home so it is important residents take a few simple steps to avoid this type of crime. Please ensure that all doors and windows are kept secure, even if you are staying inside. If you are going out, use a timer with a light so it gives the impression that someone is home.

Residents can register their valuables online at immobilise.com to help police identify items found or recovered from suspected criminals.

To read the source article please go to: www.thisislancashire.co.uk