Monthly Archives: May 2011

Crime, Immobilise, Lost Property, Police, Report My Loss

As Glastonbury Festival nears Police advise registering belongings on immobilise

As the clock counts down to this year’s Glastonbury Festival, Avon and Somerset Police are offering festival-goers crime prevention and personal safety advice.

Glastonbury Festival, one of Europe’s largest music and arts festivals, takes place between June 22 and June 26, 2011. With more than 175,000 people heading to Worthy Farm in rural Somerset, the policing operation to help people stay safe at the festival is the largest in Avon and Somerset Police’s calendar.

Crime at the festival remains low and last year around 99.7% of people were not victims of crime. Police are reminding those people attending the festival about the things they can do to have a fun and crime-free festival.

Inspector Chris Morgan, who will be working at the festival, said:

Glastonbury is less than a month away now and I know the excitement is building for everyone lucky enough to get a ticket. People have paid a lot of money to come and we do not want anyone to have their experience ruined by becoming a victim of crime.

There are some easy things people can do which will help them have a great festival. The safety tips are quick and inexpensive but can make a real difference. The key thing to remember is to bring with you only what you need and keep anything valuable in the free property lock-ups on the site.

Festival-goers are advised to:

  • Plan your journey carefully. Check your vehicle is roadworthy, take plenty of food and water with you and be prepared for queues near the site.
  • Bring only what you need. Anything you do need should be registered on for free on Immobilise (www.immobilise.com) before you set off and either kept with you or, even better, left in the free property lock-ups.
  • If you need to bring a phone, find an old handset and bring that instead.
  • Look out for your friends and ask them to look out for you. Try to travel around the site with your friends – particularly at night when it is dark and often disorientating

Festival-goers can stay up to date with news, photos and crime prevention advice online, on social media and through text messages both before and during the festival:

Follow them online at www.glastonburypolice.org
Follow us on Twitter @PoliceatGlasto for regular tweets
Sign up to receive text messages by texting Glasto to 81819

Sergeant Shirley Eden from the Operational Planning team will be taking part in a special webchat. People will be able to log on and ask about crime prevention and what it is like to plan for an enormous event such as the Glastonbury Festival. The webchat takes place between 6.30pm and 8pm on Wednesday June 8, 2011 at www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

For more information and to read the source article please go to: Avon & Somerset Police

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, NMPR, Police

The NMPR enables London Cycle Task Force to reunite bike with owner

Immobilise’s Police search portal, the NMPR, continues to help the joint MPS/TfL London Cycle Task Force in identifying and returning stolen bikes and property to their rightful owners.

As reported by BikeBiz, PCSOs Jaime Page, Matthew Sait and Derek Fletcher from the MPS/TfL (Metropolitan Police Service/Transport for London) run Cycle Task Force reunited a stolen bike with its owner this month. While on patrol in Islington on May 3rd 2011, they noticed an unsecure and unattended silver bike upturned outside a sports shop in Chapel Market, London.

The officers checked the frame number of the bike against the National Mobile Property Register (NMPR) to check if it was registered and reported stolen. The checks revealed the registered bike had

instantley searchable via the Police NMPR, mean that the police can on occasion return your property before you even realise or report it stolen!

For more see: www.immobilise.com/about

To read the source story please go to: BikeBiz

Crime, Immobilise, NMPR, Police, Report My Loss

Immobilise helps South Yorkshire Police reduce property crime

South Yorkshire has claimed a major success on crimes such as burglary and car theft following the recent release of new crime figures. The new figures show that house burglaries in South Yorkshire were at their lowest level in 30 years and that the number of car thefts were at their lowest since records began in 1974.

The statistics also reveal that in the year to March, 29 per cent of all serious acquisitive crimes committed in the county were solved and that crimes of that type were down 11 per cent on 2009/10.

South Yorkshire Police said it had developed specialist teams of detectives to focus specifically on burglary, robbery and vehicle crime.

Technology used at the scenes of burglaries and car crimes has moved on quickly with forensic officers now using shoe match identification as well as DNA and fingerprints.

Intelligence on crime trends and active criminals is also used to deploy officers to priority areas across South Yorkshire, and officers are engaged in “offender management” which involves curfew checks and application of bail conditions to limit re-offending.

Supt Tim Innes, South Yorkshire Police’s lead officer for serious acquisitive crime, said:

Despite record performance for South Yorkshire, it’s critical that we keep the focus on this area of crime which can be emotionally and financially devastating for victims.

Our success is based upon some key factors.

Effective use of intelligence, management of offenders, working with partners and communities, quality investigation, and providing a responsive service day in, day out.

I would like to recognise the hard work of our staff who do a tremendous job across all departments and agencies.

I would also like to thank the public who are reporting crime, marking, securing and recording their property, and providing valuable information to help us track down criminals.

We have had some tremendous success in identifying stolen goods and I would like to remind everyone in South Yorkshire to log their property on websites such as www.immobilise.com which help reunite stolen items with their owners.

To read the source article please go to: Yorkshire Post

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Report My Loss

‘Lock it or lose it’ warn Harrogate police

Harrogate police are urging residents to ‘lock it or lose it’ after a recent increase in the number of burglaries and car break-ins.

Officers believe that the rise can be combated with the help of the community who can help reduce further offences by taking preventative security measures.

Although the district has enjoyed falling figures in crimes such as robbery, sexual offences and thefts from outbuildings, burglary and theft from vehicles remains an issue which officers are keen to stamp out.

Sergeant Geoff Crocker, of Harrogate Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:

Harrogate is one of the safest towns in the safest county in the country, however some people’s complacency over crime prevention is making life easy for criminals.

We have to act now to ensure that offenders don’t have it their own way. Make life difficult for them, most thieves are opportunistic – if they see an unsecured door or window they will be in.

What they don’t like is a challenge, it is vital that people take the proper security measures to ensure that their houses or cars are as difficult as possible to get into.

Over half of burglaries occur at properties that have been left insecure and these offences could have easily been prevented by closing windows and locking doors.

Sgt Crocker also pointed out that burglaries where offenders force entry to a property are almost exclusively committed at homes which don’t have burglar alarms fitted. He added:

While investigating a recent burglary, I noticed that the offenders had climbed over several garden fences of neighbouring properties to get to the house. All the surrounding properties had burglar alarms, the house that was burgled did not.

Laptops, jewellery and car keys were stolen from the house and Sgt Crocker is urging residents to consider the loss of possessions and inconvenience against the cost of having adequate security measures installed.

Thefts from unattended vehicles have also gone up in Harrogate, mainly because many people are still leaving their cars unlocked.

Laptops, iPhones, Blackberrys and wallets have all been stolen from insecure vehicles recently, in thefts that could have been easily prevented by locking the door and removing valuable items from view. Sgt Crocker said:

The lack of security awareness shown by some motorists is staggering, the vast majority of thefts from vehicles have come as a result of the car being left unlocked.

Thieves are simply walking along the road or up driveways looking for vehicles that have been left insecure.

We really need to get the message across: lock your car, remove all valuable property and leave nothing on view.

Police are urging the residents of Harrogate to work with them to make life tough for criminals and help reduce the number of burglaries and thefts occurring in the town.

Local Safer Neighbourhood officers are always happy to give crime prevention advice and everyone can do their bit to ensure their homes and cars are secure.

Sgt Crocker added:

We need to ensure firstly that thieves aren’t getting an easy steal and secondly that they have an increased risk of getting caught.

The first part of this has to come from the community by observing basic security procedures including using locks that they already have.

The second part is down to the police, to relentlessly pursue criminals, put them before the courts and continue to reduce crime in Harrogate District.

Sgt Crocker has offered his top 10 crime prevention tips to residents wishing to guard against burglary and theft:

  • Remove all valuables from your vehicle and ensure it is locked.
  • Keep keys in a safe place, out of reach of doors and windows.
  • Get a burglar alarm fitted preferably from a SSAIB or NSI approved company.
  • Part set your alarm before going to bed.
  • Photograph expensive jewellery, mark it with Smartwater and keep it in a safe.
  • Photograph and mark expensive antiques and pictures.
  • Create an immobilise account at www.immobilise.com and record your possessions on the database.
  • Join your local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.
  • Check your door lock. If it does not show kite mark BS3621, contact the police, a locksmith or your NHW coordinator.
  • If you see something suspicious report it

To visit North Yorkshire Police’s Website go to: http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6736

Crime, Immobilise, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, Police, Report My Loss

There’s safety in numbers – registration numbers

The Immobilise National Property Register is Website of the day on Pocket-lint, the UK’s largest independent gadget news and reviews site.

The article by Ian Hugh’s writing for Pocket-lint follows and further emphasises the advantages of using the Immobilise service.

Stuff. We love it, you love it. In fact, we just can’t get enough of it. Pocket-Lint probably wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for our love of stuff, so when some thieving little scrote decides to shimmy up your drainpipe and help himself to some of your stuff, it’s a bit of a kick in the teeth.

There are a few things you can do to protect your prized possessions: burglar alarms, decent locks, a starved Rottweiler chained to your 50-inch plasma. But one of the simplest things you can do is to make your stuff less desirable.

We’re not talking about gouging a four-inch scratch across your iPad screen either. What we mean is by registering all your gadgets and gizmos at immobilise, you stand half a chance of getting your stuff back if it does get lifted. More importantly, put a sticker in your window and the shifty little toe-rags will probably give your place a miss anyway – if they get caught with stuff registered on this site, they’re almost certainly looking forward to a long holiday in a very small room with a large sweaty man called Bubba.

Get registered and get your stuff protected at www.immobilise.com. You know it makes sense.

To read the orginal article that was published on Pocket-lint on 18th May 2011 go to:http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/40070/register-your-gadgets-and-gizmos

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Police, Students

Greater Manchester Police launch Beat the Bike Thief campaign

Rochdale Online had reported that teams of police officers across Greater Manchester will be putting the brakes on bike theft with the launch of the new Beat the Bike Thief campaign.

Student cyclists across Greater Manchester are being urged to saddle up and beat the bike thieves by taking advantage of free bike security schemes, following the theft of more than 5,200 pedal bikes last year.

Between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011, 5,265 bikes were stolen from across Greater Manchester – a nine per cent increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Over the next few weeks, students will be invited to attend a series of bike security marking events across Greater Manchester. Police officers will give out a limited number of free bike locks to cyclists without adequate security on a first come, first served basis, along with discount vouchers for the Bike Doctor, Manchester, and bike security advice.

In this latest effort to stamp out bike theft, officers will also target thieves by using a number of decoy bikes to track down offenders, along with increased patrols in hotspot areas. In addition, officers will also be on the lookout for bikes with similar descriptions to those stolen, stop-checking anyone who might be riding one. Should a bike turn out to be stolen, they could be arrested.

Detective Chief Inspector Julian Snowball, of GMP’s Serious Crime division, said:

This is a great opportunity to help put the brakes on bike theft by getting your bikes security marked free of charge.

Bikes are expensive so will always be a target for thieves, especially if they aren’t secured or only have a standard lock. We would like to encourage students, where possible, to use the official cycle racks covered by CCTV. However, if they are not available secure it to a heavy or bulky object that can’t be moved.

You can also register your bike at www.immobilise.com, which is an online database linked to police property systems that will help us reunite you with your bike should it be stolen and later found. By advertising that your bike’s identity has been registered, it becomes far less attractive to thieves.

As part of the campaign, posters will go up in cycle shops, universities, colleges, public buildings, schools, sports centres and other eye-catching places. In addition, bike hangers, with a discount voucher for secure locks and crime prevention advice, will be hung on parked bikes in universities and colleges.

Based around the slogan ‘Beat The Bike Thief’, the poster and hanger remind cyclists to always secure bikes with a good quality chain or lock when not in use, making it much more difficult to steal.

To read the source article please go to: http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/56043/police-put-the-brakes-on-bike-theft

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Police

Police urge cyclists don’t give thieves an easy ride

The Morpeth Herald has reported that Northumberland Police are urging cyclists to stop thieves having an easy ride when it comes to stealing bikes.

The warning comes after a recent increase in the number of bikes being targeted by thieves in the area. Figures show that since January 1 this year there have been 69 pedal cycles stolen in the county – 56 of them were left unattended and insecure.

Northumberland Crime Prevention Advisor Del Graham said:

Always lock your bike when you leave it – even if it is only for a minute.

Store it in a shed or garage where possible and always use a quality padlock or chain to secure your bike.

Cyclists can register their bikes at www.immobilise.com which is a property register scheme supported by Northumbria Police. They should also consider getting their bike security marked so if it is stolen and recovered it can be returned.

We run a number of free bike marking events in the county so check the police website (www.northumbria.police.uk) for details of one in your area.

And finally, record the serial number of the bike and photograph it. If it is stolen this could really help officers track it down and return it.

To read the source article please go to: http://www.morpethherald.co.uk/news/don_t_give_thieves_an_easy_ride_1_3348846

Crime, NMPR, Police, Recipero

Recipero and Trace secure continuation of access to the FBI Stolen Articles file

Recipero is pleased to announce that the CJIS sub- committee that controls access to the FBI Stolen Articles file on the NCIC database has unanimously agreed that the arrangement to supply the information to the Trace service operated by Recipero should be made permanent and will recommend this to the full committee at its next meeting.

Les Gray, Recipero IT Director who attended the meeting in St Louis Missouri along with Ken Bouche, Recipero’s USA law enforcement liaison said:

“We are delighted that the FBI can see the value of providing this data to allow the public to check if an item they are buying is recorded as stolen with them. It helps enormously to cut down the markets for the disposal of stolen goods including online auction and classified sites. The moral here is if you are buying used goods check them with us first and if you are selling stolen goods beware as you may well be caught out”

Notes for readers: The NCIC file is a file of stolen property that is contributed to by all the USA law enforcement agencies. Recipero receives a copy of the entries that have the make model and serial number of the stolen item along with the name of the originating agency. This allows Recipero to operate the FREE USA Trace system at www.tracechecker.com and also to search the information in their CheckMEND life history report service.

For more information please go to: www.tracechecker.com