Category Archives: Lost Property

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, Report My Loss, Students

Safe And Sound: How To Have A Secure Festival Experience This Summer

Summer has finally arrived, and that festival you’ve been eagerly awaiting is just around the corner!

The UK is a nation of festival-goers. A study by UK Music shows that over 37 million people attended UK festivals and concerts in 2022!

Festivals are all about letting go and having a blast, but with so many people around, they come with unique security challenges.

It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of planning travel and other logistics that you might forget about securing your valuables.

Phones top the list of at-risk items at UK festivals, with over one in ten festival goers having lost, damaged or had a device stolen.

As with anything, planning is key to having a great time without any nasty surprises. Fortunately, there are steps you can take before and during the event to ensure a safer, more enjoyable experience.

Friends making selfies at the summer festival

Before you go…

Here are our top tips for securing your possessions before heading off to soak up the vibes.

  • Mark & register your valuables. Almost all of us will take a phone to an event, and it’s crucial to register it before you set off. Dial *#06# on your handset to reveal the 15-digit IMEI number(s) on the screen. Create an account on Immobilise.com and register the device’s make, model, IMEI, and serial numbers. It only takes a few minutes and is completely FREE. Add other identifiable marks using a UV pen or an asset label for an extra layer of security. Should you lose your phone and it is found, this will help the authorities return it to you. If you are taking other devices, such as a smartwatch or camera, register these as well.

  • Note important details. Write down the contact details for a friend and a family member you can reach, including your phone’s provider and your bank account information, in case you need to cancel cards or report the loss or theft of your phone. Keep these details on a piece of paper in a safe place—separate from your phone!

  • Check your travel insurance policy. If you have one, review it. You might be covered for trips in the UK lasting more than two nights, but ensure it includes tent stays.
    Additionally, consider personal possessions insurance. Check for policy exclusions or excess payments. This is often an add-on to contents insurance, so verify if you already have it with your home insurance.

  • Check if the venue is cashless. If not, use on-site cashpoints rather than carrying large amounts of cash.

When you’re there…

Following a few basic rules will help you enjoy the experience and keep yourself and your belongings safe.

  • Keep valuables out of sight. Don’t store them in outer pockets; instead, keep them in a secure location like a zippered pocket or money belt.

  • Use lockers if available. Some festivals offer free lockers where you can store items that might be targeted by thieves, like bikes or car keys.

  • Keep valuables to a minimum. If possible, leave your valuable phone at home! Consider taking an older phone instead of your latest model. Phone theft is common at festivals, so if you must take your phone, protect it with a passcode and turn on location tracking such as ‘Find My iPhone’. Additionally, consider using a crossbody lanyard case, making it much harder for someone to snatch it from you. Check out the latest phone lanyards of 2024 in the review below: Top 10 Best Phone Lanyards in 2024 – FindThisBest (UK)

  • Protect your phone. Use a waterproof cover to prevent damage from spills, being dropped in a puddle, or even a pint!

  • Secure valuables at night. Keep wallets, phones, cameras, car keys, etc., at the bottom of your sleeping bag where they’re inaccessible to others.

  • Be mindful of your surroundings. In the moment, you could get separated from your friends in a crowd. Knowing the layout will help you get your bearings. Make a note of where festival staff or security points are.

  • Look out for each other. Whether it’s your friends or other festival-goers, stay vigilant. If you see someone struggling, offer support by alerting the event staff.

  • Consider using a safeguarding app. These allow you to share your location with trusted contacts.
    Examples include:
    Imabi Community: a free tool for real-time safety alerts.
    Imabi Guardian: a free personal safety app.

  • Have a meeting place. Agree on a spot to meet up if you get separated. Just having a plan can reduce stress.

Festivals are tons of fun, and with careful planning, you can relax and enjoy them to the fullest. Get ready for an unforgettable festival experience!

Audience with hands in the air at a music festival

For more great tips on festival safety, check out Festival Safe.  

Crime, eBay, Fraud, Immobilise, Lost Property, NMPR, Police, Recipero, Report My Loss, Students, Uncategorized

Stumble Upon a Valuable? Know Your Next Move!

Have you ever stumbled upon a valuable item like a ring, bicycle, or mobile phone while out and about? It can be an exciting discovery, but what should you do next? Understanding the legal course of action when you find something of value is essential to ensure you act responsibly and ethically. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the steps and legal guidelines to follow when you find valuables in the UK.

Step 1: Report the Find

If you find a licence or document with an individual’s address on it, post it back to them. If there is no address but an issuing authority, such as a passport or blue badge, mail it back to the source. For anything else, visit your local police website – they all have links for reporting found property these days. They will ask questions about the find and offer further guidance and next steps.

Step 2: If the police don’t require a report

In situations where the police do not require a report for the found item, your next step involves several important actions to identify the owner:

Check for Identification Labels: Look for any visible markings that could help identify the owner. This includes Immobilise labels, which may feature a QR code or a barcoded serial number, indicating registration on the Immobilise national property register. Additionally, be on the lookout for other third-party marks or labels that might signify registration with a different service.

Visit Immobilise Website: If an Immobilise label is present, visit immobilise.com/search and enter the item’s details. This can help reconnect the item with its rightful owner while keeping their personal information confidential. Through this system, your contact details can be passed on to the owner if they are found.

Make Reasonable Enquiries: Independently of label checks, make reasonable efforts to find the owner. This could include asking people nearby, in offices, or shops, and considering leaving a note with your details. If the item was found on private property, such as a shop, pub, or workplace, inform the owner of the land or building.

Step 3: Where neither of the above applies

If you have exhausted the above, the law becomes a little complicated. If you have posted a notice anywhere or asked on local social media groups, we suggest you wait 90 days. If you haven’t heard from anyone after this time, you could consider selling it. However, UK law states that if the rightful owner can prove it’s theirs, you are liable to them for the proceeds, less reasonable storage costs for up to 6 years after the sale. However, this is unlikely to be an issue, mainly since the police process captures higher-value property.

Immobilise, Lost Property, Mobile Phones

Festival Security: 5 Ways to Protect Your Valuables

37% of people have had a valuable item lost or stolen at a UK festival, costing an average of £146.35

– ComparetheMarket.com, 2022

1. Before you go, protect your belongings by registering them on Immobilise.com, improving your chances of getting them back if they’re lost or stolen.

2. Leave unnecessary valuables at home where possible. Some people even buy a cheap phone to take to festivals, leaving their more expensive handset safely back at home.

3. Keep your wits about you, especially when you’re in a crowd. Consider using a bumbag or money belt, instead of using a rucksack or keeping valuables in your pockets. If you do use a rucksack, wear it around your front in crowds.

4. Never leave valuable items in your tent when you’re not there. It’s worth checking whether there are secure lockers available to use instead. When you’re sleeping, keep valuables at the bottom of your sleeping bag.

5. Check in advance whether traders will take card payments or whether the festival you’re going to is running a cashless scheme, where you can load your wristband with credit beforehand. This way, you’ll avoid the need to carry cash.

For more handy festival tips, particularly if you’re a first-time festival-goer, visit https://www.festivalsafe.com/information/

Bicycles, Crime, eBay, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, Police, Recipero, Report My Loss, Students, Uncategorized

1 in 5 Students fall victim to property crime

It may surprise you that according to the National Union of Students, as many as one in five students fall victim to property crime whilst at college or university. 

Thieves know that student residences are full of expensive gear; laptops, tablets, phones, bikes and cameras provide rich pickings. In fact, the average break-in costs £900 to repair the damage and replace belongings.

A lot of theft is opportunistic – a few simple steps can be enough to make thieves think twice and move on. 

  • When you go out, make sure all windows and doors are locked. It’s an obvious one but double-check!
  • Check windows for vulnerabilities. Make sure they’re robust, secure and fitted with locks. If they’re not, speak to your landlord or letting agent. 
  • Don’t advertise your valuables to thieves. Ensure your valuables are not visible through windows. 
  • Register your possessions at Immobilise.com. It’s FREE and provides the simplest way to return your property if found after loss or theft. 
  • Keep your gate shut and bolted at all times. Ensure bins don’t make it easy for burglars to climb over walls or fences. 
  • Simulate occupancy with light timers or products like a FakeTV. 
  • Get insurance. It is tempting to save money, but it’s a false economy. Make sure it covers all your stuff. 
  • Bikes should be kept in the school’s designated areas and secured with a D-lock to an immovable object such as a ground-mounted loop. Don’t forget to register the bike at Immobilise.com

Registering your property at Immobilise.com is FREE. You can register property irrespective of any 3rd party labelling used; it’s all accepted!

Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Lost Property

How to Protect Your Luggage

Over the years, a number of solutions have been developed to help people keep their luggage safe while travelling. Many people use padlocks or combination locks and some choose to have their suitcases wrapped at the airport if they’re flying, but there are other things you can do to help protect your precious cargo.

1. Keep your belongings as close to you as you can, especially in busy places. If you’re carrying a backpack or shoulder bag, bring it round to your front where you can keep a closer eye on it.

2. Consider using luggage that is bright or bold in some way (or securely attach a bright ribbon to an otherwise plain case), making it easier for you to spot it on the carousel.

3. You can register your luggage items on Immobilise.com to help increase your chances of being reunited with them if they’re lost or stolen. This can be as simple as adding your name, address and a code to your luggage tag and using those details to register it. If items are visibly marked by a wraparound label, or asset labels though, it also helps to deter thieves.

4. Take photos of the contents of your bags – this could help with an insurance claim if anything does happen to your luggage. If there are individual items that you’re registering on Immobilise (jewellery, watches, portable games consoles, for example) you can also add photos of them to the Immobilise database at the same time, alongside a description.

5. Alternatively, the ImmobiTag is a tiny security chip (just 11mm long!) that can help to protect pretty much anything. It’s a covert device that could be glued inside your case, giving it a unique identifier that could be registered on Immobilise. A warning label is also provided to make it clear to any potential thief that your luggage is protected in this way.

6. Purchase travel insurance, ensuring that theft is included on your policy. It won’t prevent you from being a victim of theft while travelling, but it will give you peace of mind that you could replace your belongings if the worst was to happen.

7. Finally, it’s worth packing a spare outfit or two in your carry-on luggage if you’re flying, just in case there’s a delay in being reunited with the rest of your luggage. Even if you’re going somewhere lovely and warm, pack a jumper for the chilly airport terminal!

Consider separating your sources of cash too, rather than keeping it all in one bag or wallet.

REGISTER ITEMS ON IMMOBILISE
Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, Police, Students, Uncategorized

Police Want To Reunite Recovered Property With Owners

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

#ImmobiliseCrime #PropertyMarking #UKPolice

AssetWatch, Bicycles, CheckMEND, ClaimsCheck, Crime, eBay, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, NMPR, Police, Recipero, Report My Loss, Students, Uncategorized

14.5 Million Bikes Bought Since Lockdowns Began!

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:

https://www.directline.com/cycling-insurance/magazine/how-to-prevent-your-bike-from-being-stolen

City Cyclist

#TooHotToHandle #StolenBikes #ImmobiliseCrime #PropertyMarking #UKPolice

Bicycles, CheckMEND, Crime, eBay, Immobilise, Immobilize, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, Police, Recipero, Report My Loss, Students, Uncategorized

Register New Gifts To Protect Them

Don’t forget to register any new gifts straight on to Immobilise.com.
Unfortunately, theft and burglaries tend to increase around the festive period. Logging your treasured items on immobilise.com creates a unique record of your ownership, meaning responsible traders will avoid them. At the same time, should police encounter your property, they will be able to identify it, giving you the best possible chance of getting your valuables back should the worst happen.

Register new gifts to protect them

#BeatTheBurglar #Christmas21 #PropertyMarking #ImmobiliseCrime #CrimePrevention #UKPolice

AssetWatch, Bicycles, CheckMEND, ClaimsCheck, Crime, eBay, Immobilise, Immobilize, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, NMPR, Police, Students, Uncategorized

When Thieves Are Brazen!

When thieves are this brazen and not deterred by steel U-locks, warning labels, engravings, and other marks are not going to be a deterrent either. But we can at least leave something in your bike that would incriminate anyone later found in possession of it. ImmobiBike, with its shuttle securely fitted in the seat post, can’t be removed without risk of damage and is easily traceable by police.

Follow the link to the article:
https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/brazen-thieves-steal-3-500-184826328.html

Learn more about ImmobiBike RFID tags:
https://shop.immobilise.com/immobibike-rfid-bicycle-security-tag-presentation-pack/

#TooHotToHandle #StolenBikes #ImmobiliseCrime #PropertyMarking #UKPolice

Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Students, Uncategorized

Hope For The Best; Prepare For The Worst

So you’ve heeded all the advice to secure your home and your property.

You have window locks, high-security doors, unobscured entrances, lighting, an alarm system, valuables stored out of sight, tools, and equipment stored in locked sheds and garages.

Sadly, even the most security-aware can still become victims of theft, only to discover the aftermath can be as frustrating and painful as the event itself. The Police and insurers will ask for details of any missing property, and it is here that many find themselves unprepared, complicating claims and prolonging the stress and inconvenience.

Police recover an enormous amount of stolen property each year, but the majority is impossible to repatriate because there is no way to trace the owner. The result is that valuable, treasured possessions end up going to auction or even being destroyed.

Our homes are full of treasured valuables and a target for thieves.

To avoid these pitfalls, here are some simple actions you can take:

Make a habit of recording your purchases: photograph items, unique marks, and any serial numbers, including the original purchase receipts. Send the pictures to a friend or family member so you have more than one copy or record them securely on the Immobilise National Property Register – immobilise.com. Any police report or insurance claim will be more effective and faster to complete when you have this information to hand.

Mark items: add your postcode, your phone number, or some other number meaningful to you. Various marking and labeling methods are available, but any manner of mark will help – it doesn’t have to cost anything.

Register items: Consider registering your items on a police-connected database. Visit your local constabulary website for recommendations in the loss and theft section. Such registration not only helps Police return your property but may also prevent criminals from easily selling it.

For more home security information visit:
https://www.homesecuritymonth.com/category/nhsm-blog/

To register and protect valuables visit:
https://www.immobilise.com