As Christmas fast approaches, we’d like to share a few crime prevention tips that are known to be effective at this time of year.
Make approaching your home too conspicuous for burglars – Invest in motion sensor lights or even festive lighting.
Be secure, especially with festive lighting – Check for vulnerabilities around the home and garden such as feeding cables through open windows.
Create the illusion of occupancy when you’re away, especially at night. Use inexpensive light timers or a Fake TV to deter would-be thieves.
Create the illusion of occupancy when you’re away, especially at night. Use inexpensive light timers or a Fake TV to deter would-be thieves.
Away over Christmas? Ask a neighbour to park on the driveway, redirect parcels, and be sure to cancel milk or paper deliveries.
Be cyber aware and careful not to advertise your new gifts or trips away on social media!
Don’t hide spare keys and use alarms if you have them.
Protecting your home and family need not be time consuming or expensive; a few simple steps can make all the difference.
Don’t forget to register and protect gifts and valuables on Immobilise – It is completely FREE and helps deter thieves and combat property crime. Visit immobilise.com and click on ‘register’ or if you already have an account, log in using your account details to update your property list.
We are offering 15% OFF all our marking and security products. Visit shop.immobilise.com using coupon code: Christmas15 on checkout. Discount available until Monday 4th January & includes FREE delivery on orders over £30!
Many of us will have done much of our Christmas shopping online this year. For those of you intending to visit the high street, busy shopping areas can be magnets for pick-pockets and other criminals this time of year. It’s important to be as vigilant as ever and whilst out shopping:
Put cash and cards away safely and try not to keep your valuables in one place, especially your phone – should your bag be lost or stolen you can still call for help.
Shield the keypad when typing in your PIN when making payments or withdrawing cash.
Don’t make it easy for thieves by hanging bags on chairs. If you’re having a well-earned break, keep your bag and shopping in your eye-line and away from passing hands.
Avoid overtly wearing expensive jewellery and watches in public places.
Park vigilantly in an open, well-lit area. Visit the website parkmark.co.uk for details of police approved car parks. It sounds simple butIf you must store presents in a vehicle, make sure they are out of view and that the car is securely locked.
If you witness a crime report it to shop staff or police dialling 999. For suspicions and non-emergencies call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to provide anonymous information
Immobilise is not just for individuals. We’re here to support small and medium enterprises too. You should register tools, fixtures and fittings, computers, phones, electronic or electrical components, retail stock – in fact, any item that your business owns.
Remote working from home in the kitchen with a company laptop.
Of course, each item must be uniquely identifiable. Most electronic devices will have an inherent serial number, but for those that don’t, you can utilise any asset marking methods you prefer – labels, engraving, RFID tags, stamps, punches, embossing – whatever is best suited to your products and processes. Immobilise supports all asset marking methods from all manufacturers; we even have some of our own that you may buy from shop.immobilise.com.
Register a new account at immobilise.com under the name of a business principal or manager; we recommend using a group email address that several people have access to rather than an individual, but it’s up to you. As a business, you’re likely to have more items to register than individuals, so we’ve provided a spreadsheet template, downloadable from your account that helps you register hundreds of things at once. If you’re already using an internal asset register, you may even be able to export your data in the same format before uploading to your account.
Company tech can be registered on immobiise.com – It’s completely FREE.
If you mark something as lost or stolen on your account, it’s reflected in real-time to national police systems. This unique integration ensures that if police encounter your property, they can return it to you quickly. Of course, if they have someone in possession of property stolen from you, this also provides valuable evidence to detain or even prosecute someone.
While the spreadsheet template makes adding multiple items to your account a breeze, once there, they need managing. It’s no good recording an item as yours once it is legitimately sold. With hundreds, perhaps thousands of items or rapidly changing stock profiles, this can become a chore. For this situation, we have a low-cost service that delivers additional benefits and peace of mind.
AssetWatch
Real-time monitoring for mobile devices and technology
This service receives daily files from your existing asset management or stock control systems, recording identifying serial numbers and remaining synchronised with your systems without manual intervention.
AssetWatch Approved Data Partner Logo.
Being always up to date enables functionality that an Immobilise account cannot deliver. Every AssetWatch record tells us that you still own that item, whether it be the subject of a lease, rental agreement, provided to an employee or merely sitting in unsold stock. In all these cases, you would not want to see the item ‘out in the wild’, cited in an insurance claim or in possession of someone in police custody. All these events indicate that the item is not where it ought to be and so we notify you in real-time of these occurrences. Also, thanks to AssetWatch’s unique integration with CheckMEND, the world’s leading second-hand trade due-diligence service, we even prevent the item from being traded.
Use cases
Your retail outlet keeps a small stock of valuable consumer electronics. The local manager charged with securing and managing that stock is less than honest and is manipulating the system to their ends. They have the necessary access to stock management, and exceptions so can easily hide misdeeds. However, taking a device that is recorded on AssetWatch round the corner to the nearest second-hand trader results in that trader rejecting the sale when they run their due-diligence check. Not only that but the sale attempt is recorded and you notified of the time, date, place and item. You know that item has not been sold but now you know it’s been stolen! AssetWatch has been instrumental in identifying employee theft and benefits from being outside the normal controls within businesses.
For equipment out on rental, a similar same thing may happen. A bad actor reports to you that the item was stolen from a site or vehicle; perhaps they make a police report too in an attempt to convince you of their plight but when a sale is attempted, the date, time and in many cases, CCTV evidence will expose the crook.
Finally, straight up employee theft. The valuable laptop or phone you have provided them to do their job and an employee in need of fast cash. They try to trade the item, but it’s the trader rejects it and an automated alert is sent to you. Perhaps they succeed at the next less diligent trader, and now they report it stolen expecting the company to replace it and make an insurance claim. The times don’t add up with the first offer before the report of theft and the trader holding identifiable evidence of the seller.
In short, AssetWatch tells us the item should not be seen in trade. We use that to prevent sale among thousands of diligent traders and alert you to any attempts. In many cases, we’re telling you that your business has been a victim of theft before your stock checks or loss prevention manager would otherwise have a clue. AssetWatch achieves this while also delivering all the repatriation opportunities and benefits of an Immobilise registration.
All theft is distressing for the victim and often costly but perhaps none more so than tool theft from tradespeople. You’ve amassed the right tools for every job over several years then one day, they’re all gone in an instant, stolen from a site, your van, or your workshop. Aside from the cost of replacement, some may be irreplaceable. Tools you’ve had since being an apprentice or gifted to you by a respected mentor can be as treasured as family heirlooms.
Protecting trades’ tools and depriving criminals of cash.
You already know the well-trodden advice to deter theft;
Bring tools indoors overnight;
Use uprated locks and storage safes;
Always enable your alarm;
But less obvious is the importance of marking your tools.
Power tools, in particular, have serial numbers – record these as belonging to you on a secure register. The police recover thousands of tools every month, but they cannot return most as their owners are unknown. In addition to recording, clearly mark your tools, vehicles, and premises warning would-be thieves that your property is traceable.
Protect your tools with Immobilise
Immobilise – The UK’s national property register, is integrated with police systems, FREE to use, and can record serial numbers or the numbers of marking products and labels from Immobilise or any other marking product. Whatever physical marking method you choose, ensuring it’s registered at immobilise.com is the best way to maximise your chances of return.
Registration on Immobilise enables the return of your property and helps you to expedite insurance claims with accurate information. Also, a simple click, reporting an item as stolen will prevent its trade at thousands of reputable second-hand traders across the UK and mindful buyers from auction sites who make use of the world’s leading property due-diligence service, CheckMEND.com.
In a typical month, CheckMEND is used to protect buyers in over 5 million transactions each month. In a typical month, CheckMEND prevents over £30m of stolen property from being traded, and Immobilise is uniquely integrated with that system.
If you are a victim of theft, your registration and report on Immobilise prevents the thief from profiting, gives the police evidence of a suspect’s wrongdoing and ultimately, helps get your property back. Register now or login to an existing account on Immobilise.
Second-hand smartphones are good for the environment and often represent real bargains. As with any used purchase, though it is essential to take steps to protect yourself and minimise the chances of buying a dud.
A person checking whether a smartphone has a significant used history on CheckMEND.com
Used phones may have been involved in frauds from ID theft involving bogus airtime contracts to fake retailer returns and fraudulent insurance claims. In addition of course to the all-too-common burglary, robbery, and more serious crimes.
What can you do to minimise your risk of buying a stolen phone?
Always ask the seller for the IMEI and Manufacturer’s serial number of the phone – if they have many units to sell they may not know this until actual despatch. Still, a private or small volume seller should always be able and willing to provide this.
Use the numbers to run a check for yourself at CheckMEND.com. This will let you know if there is any record that the phone is lost, stolen, or the subject of an insurance claim, police report, or corporate ownership that may affect your ability to obtain the legal title.
Better still, ask the seller for a copy of the CheckMEND certificate produced when they first received the phone. The best sellers do this as part of their business routinely and again will be happy to provide it. An advantage here is that you may check the certificate’s authenticity free of charge by entering its number at checkmend.com/uk/verify.
Confirm the IMEI and the serial number of the phone that arrives matches what the seller said they were sending.
In a typical month, traders using CheckMEND avoid buying £35m worth of stolen property. Don’t become the second victim of a phone crime, insist on CheckMEND.
Recipero are delighted to announce the availability of the AssetWatch Checkmark. Millions of articles are already protected by AssetWatch and the new Checkmark provides a clear, consistent signal to fraudsters that our clients’ property is being actively prevented from unauthorised sale. Full integration of AssetWatch with police systems, responsible second-hand traders and public due-diligence services ensures the widest possible picture of an article’s movements.
Use cases include stock leakage detection, rental or finance default potential, forward and reverse logistics losses, fraudulent claims for non-delivery and even employee theft. Overt messaging with the Checkmark lets potential bad actors know that stealing an AssetWatch customer’s property is no easy way to make money.
AssetWatch can deliver benefits for all businesses who manufacture or sell serial numbered articles or supply goods to employees such as laptops and phones. No obligation AssetWatch trials are available so you can see the ROI before you commit.
If you’re an existing AssetWatch customer and would like to use the Checkmark please contact us or your service representative directly. To read more about the AssetWatch service or Checkmark please visit our AssetWatch page.
2016 has already been a busy year for Recipero resulting in our connected device fraud and theft intelligence solutions producing some very interesting statistics.
A more detailed report will be published at the end of Q1, for now though here are some significant facts you might find interesting.
Recipero US Cell Phone Crime Statistics in 2016 so far. Page 1
Recipero US Cell Phone Crime Statistics in 2016 so far. Page 2
In the first two months of 2016, Recipero provided intelligence on transactions involving over 10 million devices globally.
31% of devices reported stolen were NOT blocked by operators.
The Apple 6, 6s and Samsung S6 were the most stolen phones in the US in the first quarter of this year.
Day 48 is the most likely day after taking out a lease or rental contract that a user of a device will decide to sell it for cash and stop the installment payments.
7% of devices that are blocked when an insurance claim is made for loss or theft are unblocked within 30 days.
5% of devices offered for sale or trade-in at retail were reported as lost or stolen.
4% of accidental damage or breakdown warranty claims were actually made on devices that had been reported as lost or stolen.
$2,100 is the price that a stolen Apple iPhone 6 sells for in some Eastern European countries.
Through our global reach, we have seen US stolen devices turn up in some far-reaching places including; Vietnam, Poland, Denmark, Jamaica, Romania, Spain, Mexico, Italy, South Africa and Colombia.
We are pleased to announce that the Recipero Helpdesk website has recently been updated to be fully responsive. Users are now able to access the knowledgebase and submit support queries easily whether they are on a laptop, tablet or phone!
Users continue to be able to email support via the usual addresses published on each of of our product sites if they prefer. However we recommend creating support requests via the support portal, as the solution to many queries may be automatically suggested which in many cases, can answer queries straight away!
Recipero, a partnering member of Competitive Carriers Association (CCA), has announced that it is collaborating with Carolina West Wireless, the premier wireless carrier serving western North Carolina, to help prevent the trade and sale of stolen smartphones, including Carolina West Wireless devices.
Carolina West Wireless, a CCA carrier member, has signed on to deploy Recipero’s CheckMEND, StockWatch and FraudWatch solutions, part of Recipero’s powerful Crime Reduction Ecosystem that helps detect mobile devices that have been lost or stolen.
The use of Recipero’s CheckMEND solution will help safeguard both customers and employees from criminal activity, StockWatch monitors retail and logistics environments providing early indication inventory theft, while FraudWatch targets the growing problem of contract fraud /credit muling – helping to reduce the personal and commercial impact of crime.
In addition, consumers and law enforcement officials alike will have access to Carolina West Wireless data on lost or stolen devices through Recipero’s CheckMEND and Police NMPR solutions.
CheckMEND is the most complete international listing of lost and stolen mobile devices available, comprised of data from major wireless carriers and law-enforcement entities globally. Using the CheckMEND tool, Carolina West Wireless can more effectively identify smartphones that have been lost or stolen and prevent them from being accepted into its buyback program.
I am pleased that Carolina West Wireless and Recipero have formed a strategic partnership to protect Carolina West’s subscribers and their property,
said Steven K. Berry, CCA President & CEO.
Protecting subscribers’ investments in their devices is a priority for CCA’s members, and I am delighted that Recipero is providing our carriers a solution to reduce mobile device theft and resale. As the Federal Communications Commission and state regulators continue to think about the problem of mobile device theft, I hope they will look at the example that Carolina West and Recipero are setting for the industry through this solution that allows the carrier to build loyalty and protect its customers.
Greg Post, Recipero’s President, North America said:
Our partnership with Carolina West Wireless and CCA, is a significant step in addressing the issue of cell phone fraud and theft. Carolina West Wireless will see the benefits or our crime reduction ecosystem, which we expect to rollout to other CCA members soon.
Slayton Stewart, CEO of Carolina West Wireless said:
We recognize the growing negative impact of device theft and fraud in our industry
We are committed to taking the necessary steps to protect our customers’ against the potentially harmful financial impact of this type of activity. By deploying the solutions from our new partnership with Recipero, we will minimize this risk while protecting our customers’ financial interests.
About Carolina West Wireless
Carolina West Wireless was formed in 1991 and is owned by a partnership consisting of Skyline Telephone, Surry Telephone and Wilkes Telecommunications. Headquartered in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Carolina West Wireless provides its customers in ten (10) western NC counties with innovative technology including data and mobile services, the latest wireless equipment and competitive wireless plans that provide national coverage. For more information, visit http://www.carolinawest.com.
About CCA
CCA is the nation’s leading association for competitive wireless providers and stakeholders across the United States. The licensed service area of CCA’s more than 100 carrier members covers 95 percent of the nation. Visit www.competitivecarriers.org.
All the latest information about Recipero products
We are pleased to announce that the 
Recipero, a partnering member of Competitive Carriers Association (CCA), has announced that it is collaborating with Carolina West Wireless, the premier wireless carrier serving western North Carolina, to help prevent the trade and sale of stolen smartphones, including Carolina West Wireless devices.