Recipero News & Comment

Police in Bristol expect 1,000 homes to be burgled in the city in the next three months.

Bristol’s priority crime team want to reduce that number and prevent your home being one of those thousand, and to help they are launching a Spring burglary campaign.

Richard Kelvey, Detective Chief Inspector on the burglary team, said:

We know from previous statistics that there are likely to be 1,000 homes burgled in Bristol in the next three months.

We want to do everything we can to reduce that number and we are working hard but we need the public to be aware of how to make themselves and their homes less vulnerable to burglary.

Surprisingly, around 300 of all those burglaries expected to take place, will happen because someone forgets to lock a back door or leaves a window open. We know it is easily done when you are rushing to get out of the door for work or to get the kids to school – making the property insecure and giving thieves easy access.

Another method for burglars is smashing a small window or glass panel in a front or back door in order to put a hand through and unlock it – which is why keys should never be left in back doors or on nearby surfaces.

People are also advised to keep hard copy photos, receipts and descriptive records of their property as well registering it on national property database Immobilise so that it can be identified in the event it is stolen.

Councillor Gary Hopkins, Bristol City Council Cabinet Member for the Environment and Community Safety, said:

Although burglary rates are going down steadily we want to ensure everyone knows the simple precautions to take to reduce their chance of being burgled.

Avon & Somerset Police have some good tips to keep your home safe:

• Lock it or lose it – always make sure you secure windows and doors before leaving your home, using ALL locks, including deadlocks and bolts on windows and doors.
• If you have an alarm system ALWAYS set it before going out even if it’s only for a few minutes.
• Don’t advertise your home to thieves – never leave valuable items on display in windows.
• Never leave packaging for expensive items out in the recycling box all week: either put it out on the morning it’s due to be collected or take it to the tip.
• If you have a side or back lane on your house make sure it is gated and well lit, so as to not give easy access to your property.
• Use a switch timer and leave a radio when you go out.

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

Thames Valley Police are urging the public to make it one of their New Year’s resolutions to register personal property on the UK National Property Register, Immobilise.

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

The Manchester Messenger has reported that young people across Trafford are being urged to keep new gadgets received as Christmas presents out of sight to avoid becoming a victim of street crime.

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

Police in Avon and Somerset yesterday (Thursday December 17) held their latest “Relentless” day, focussing on the prevention of theft and burglary.

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

by Simon MacMichael writing for Road.cc

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

In the last 6 months in Bath and North East Somerset 144 laptops have been stolen (1st April to 30 September 2009), 80 from houses and other dwellings; 24 from commercial burglaries and 9 from vehicles and the rest being general thefts. When new students arrive in the area with new high value items such as laptops, ipods and phones there is an increase in theft as the opportunity to steal is easier with students being less vigilant of their property when they first arrive.

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

road.cc. the popular online cycle news site has published an interesting story concerning and expected rise in bike crime as students return to university this month.

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

The Bolton News has reported that students have been given tips on how to avoid becoming victims of crime.

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 have been heavily involved in fresher’s weeks at both Bath Spa University and City of Bath College in the last week. Officers are attending fresher’s fayres giving advice, handing out information and making students aware of how to look after themselves when living away from home for the first time.

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)