We thought it was about time CheckMEND had a revamp – we really like it and hope you do too!
The Recipero team have been working away on the new look behind the scenes for the last few months. The CheckMEND service remains the same as users are familiar with, while the design of the report has been simplified to make it easier to understand.
New users can claim a free device check report by registering an account, perfect for instances where someone is planning on buying a second-hand piece of tech and the seller doesn’t already have a CheckMEND certificate.
We’re also really interested to hear about existing users’ past experiences with CheckMEND and have a survey open to all users, to help us to improve the service we offer.
Users who complete the 2-minute survey will be given 25% off checks until Friday 29th August 2022.
Tourists can be a lucrative target for criminals, particularly in the case of theft. When travelling, you’re more likely to be distracted by your new and unfamiliar environment and carry a lot of valuable personal belongings and possibly cash.
We’ve listed our top 5 items that you should register on immobilise.com before setting off on holiday. It only takes a minute, it’s completely free of charge, and it increases the chance of your items being returned to you if they’re lost or stolen. Having a certificate of registration also helps to prove you are the owner of the item, and it can help simplify any insurance claim you might need to make.
1. Mobile Phone
The only thing you need to hand to register your mobile phone is the IMEI number. You can find this by dialling *#06#. You can add any other unique identifiers you might have, but this is the best one to use. Easy peasy!
Top Tip: Add your phone’s serial number as another identifier. This can easily be found in the phone’s settings or on the packaging.
2. Camera / GoPro
You often find that these have a serial number; it might be found on the item’s packaging or in its manual or documentation. If you can’t find one though, don’t worry. You can use any unique identifier to register an item – you could use a UV pen, or a product marking kit, or you can order asset labels from the Immobilise online shop. These have the added benefit of being a visible deterrent to thieves, and giving honest members of the public a way of reporting your item as found, should you lose it. There are no personal details on the asset labels, but it will ensure we can get your item back to you.
3. Tablets, Headphones & Handheld Games Consoles
Just like cameras and GoPros, any type of tech can easily be registered with a unique identifier. You’ll either be able to find a serial code or add an identifier yourself using a UV pen, asset label or product marking kit. You can buy all of these solutions from the Immobilise shop or use any third-party product to mark your belongings.
Another thing to consider with your tablet is whether there’s in-built tracking you can set up and use, such as the ‘Find My’ app offered by Apple and Android.
4. Keys
To give your keys a better chance of finding their way back to you if you misplace them, we’ve created the ImmobiKey. The fob gives your keys a unique identifier (enabling them to be registered on the Immobilise database) and provides instructions to both the police and the public on what to do, should your keys be found.
5. Watches & Jewellery
Some watches will have a serial number, so it’s worth checking for one on the piece itself and any accompanying paperwork. Alternatively, an engraving on a watch or piece of jewellery makes for a perfect identifier to register it with, as long as it’s unique. Any other third-party product marks can be used otherwise. Immobilise also gives you the option to upload photos, receipts and certifications when you register your items.
Immobilise isn’t just for mobile phones and gadgets – anything with a unique identifier can be registered (for free!) on the Immobilise database.
The items hidden away in your garage or shed often get overlooked, but you can protect them too, taking steps to make it easier for you to be reunited in the worst-case scenario of your belongings being stolen.
If you label your items, it could even act as a deterrent to thieves, as it makes them harder to sell on and less desirable.
#1 Bikes
Claims for bike thefts between January and April this year were up by 126% compared to the same period in 2021
– Urban Jungle
You can register your bike with the frame serial number, an RFID tag (ImmobiBike or ImmobiTag), coded microdot, forensic liquid, chemical etching or any other third party product marks you can find.
42% of outbuilding thefts resulted in tools being stolen
– Confused.com, 2021
Power tools are likely to be targeted by thieves. They can be registered with the serial number, an asset label, UV pen marking, forensic liquid, coded microdot, or any other third party product marks you can find.
Thefts from gardens shoot up by over 25% when the clocks go forward
– Aviva Claims Statistics, 2002 – 2011
If your lawnmower or strimmer doesn’t already have a unique identifier such as a serial number, you can use an Immobilise marking kit – or any third party property marking tool – to give it an identifier and then register it for free on Immobilise.
Golf club theft is estimated at £10 million every year
– The Professional Golfers Club Association (PGA)
The demand for home gym and leisure equipment has gone through the roof over the last couple of years. People are keeping tents, skis, snowboards, kayaks, skateboards, paddleboards and golf clubs (etc, etc!) in sheds and garages.
Anything with a unique identifier can be registered on Immobilise and if your item doesn’t already have an identifier, you can use a property marking kit.
The outdoor furniture market in the UK amounts to £1.26 billion this year
– Statista.com
If you’re protecting your outdoor furniture from the elements by keeping it in the shed, you can also try to protect it from theft. If your furniture doesn’t have a unique identifier such as a serial number, you can use an Immobilise marking kit – or any third party property marking tool – to give it an identifier and then register it for free on Immobilise.
As festival-goers cheer the much-anticipated return of Glastonbury this week, Avon and Somerset Police have issued the following advice on personal property:
If you are bringing a phone, tablet or other electronic device to the festival, you are advised to protect it.
Anti-theft apps give us the best chance to find stolen electronics and most are free to download and quick to install.
We advise people to record the make and model of their valuables, if it’s a phone then note down the IMEI number and the account username and password of any tracking app.
You can also register your property (phone, tablet, camera, etc) on the Immobilise database. It takes only a few minutes and it’s free.
Festival-goers are reminded to be discreet with their valuables. Keep it out of sight such as in a front pocket if possible or in one of our free phone pouches, or leave it at the free property lock-ups. Keep it safe, keep it hidden.
Glastonbury Festival, one of Europe’s largest music and arts festivals, takes place between June 22 and June 26, 2022. With more than 200,000 people on site each day at 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.
Festival-goers can stay up to date with news, photos and crime prevention advice on social media by following @policeatglasto on Twitter or Instagram.
We’re delighted to announce that thenmpr.com now offers enhanced accessibility features to all its users providing support for seizure safe themes, screen readers, users with cognitive disabilities and support for personal font, size and colour variations. Click the “blue person” icon on the bottom right of the website to experience NMPR your way!
Immobilise is proud to have been awarded Loss Prevention Standard 1224. This is a secure asset register standard and Immobilise is the only register that supports all types of property, to hold this certification. Register bikes to blu-rays, golf clubs to games consoles at immobilise.com . Registration provides maximum protection from second-hand trade and visibility to police and insurers, all working together to reduce theft.
Over 40,000 police officers search for recovered property items via control centres, handheld devices, and computer systems thousands of times each day but still struggle to return items to their rightful owners because there is no means to identify the owner. Help the police to help you get your property back by recording serials and marks on immobilise.com Read the full article here: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19916637.police-struggle-items-recovering-stolen-bikes-garden-tools/
Police want to reunite recovered property with owners
Incredibly, around 14.5 million bikes worth £5 billion have been purchased since lockdowns began. Weekly cycling miles in the UK are estimated at more than one billion! It goes to show how accustomed we’ve become to two wheels for travel, leisure and exercise. What more can we do to protect one of our favourite possessions? Here is a must-read article for bike owners:
A recent study shows a fifth of the UK public considers their bicycles the most important possession they own, with 16% of purchases now costing over £500! While according to a leading insurer, 45 bikes are stolen every hour in the UK. If you haven’t managed to register yours on Immobilise.com yet, it would be wise and be sure to add the frame number, including any other marks you can find; it’s entirely free and only takes a few minutes.
