Category Archives: NMPR

Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, ImmobiTag, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Report My Loss

Cambridge: Protect your presents from Christmas thieves

The Cambs 24 website has reported that advice is being issued to Christmas shoppers in Huntingdonshire to help safeguard their presents from thieves.

Each year gifts are taken from vehicles or from under the Christmas tree in people’s homes. Chief Inspector Russell Waterston from Cambridgeshire police said:

There are often easy pickings for criminals this time of year.

People are in high spirits and are often transporting and storing lots of desirable goods.

But the same precautions should be taken at Christmas time as every other time of the year.

We don’t want to see expensive gifts disappearing from under the Christmas tree before the festivities begin.

Homeowners are being some simple advice:

  • Close the curtains once it gets dark outside, especially if the lights are on inside and not keep presents on show.
  • Presents should be removed overnight from vehicles.
  • Empty boxes, which could advertise the Christmas goodies inside the house, should not be left outside on view.
  • Once Christmas gifts are unwrapped, they can be registered for free at www.immobilise.com, which allows stolen goods to be identified and returned to the owner.

INFORMATION: Any suspicious behaviour should be reported to Cambridgeshire police on 0345 4564564.

To view the source article please go to: www.cambs24.co.uk

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police

Stolen phone is returned by Police thanks to Immobilise

The Haringey Independent has reported that a stolen mobile phone was returned to its rightful owner thanks to the Immobilise National Property Register.

While on patrol on October 27, in Seven Sisters Road, Tottenham, Haringey police’s safer transport team stopped-and-searched a 31-year-old man.

He was found to be carrying a mobile phone which was traced by the police* on website Immobilise.com to a woman who had reported it as stolen in September.

The man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and bailed to return to police on Monday, November 9.

PC Matt Fathers, of Haringey Safer Transport team, said:

This shows that by having your valuables registered on immobilise.com, the chances of having you lost or stolen property returned to you, are greater.

The stolen mobile has since been restored to the owner who was very pleased.

The free website allows users to register all of their valuables by serial number inlcuding mobile phones, laptops and even bikes.

If the property is stolen you can use the site to alert police, insurers or second-hand traders so that if they come across the goods they can be returned and help catch criminals.

To read the source report in full please go to: Haringley Independent

* The police search the Immobilise National Property Register and other information via their own search portal the NMPR.

CheckMEND, Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, ImmobiTag, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Recipero, Report My Loss

Burglaries, robberies and theft jump as recession hits home – Times Online

The Times recently published an interesting article that is of particular relevance to the Immobilise National Property Register. Richard Ford, a Home Correspondent for the times reported that the latest recorded crime figures support the theory that the in a recession property crimes such as burglary and personal theft increase while violent offences fall.

Keith Bristow, chief constable of Warwickshire, said:

Crime has traditionally increased following periods of economic recession and the three per cent rise in domestic burglary compared to the same period last year is a reminder that we all must remain vigilant.

The Times article contains several interesting facts and statistics and can be found at:

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6885455.ece

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, NMPR, Police, Report My Loss

Bike theft! Not in My Neighbourhood!

bikesafety-beseen200911Police across Taunton and Wellington will be engaged with their partners in various activities under the “Not in My Neighbourhood Week” banner this week to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.

Not In My Neighbourhood week is a national home office scheme, now in its third year, which encourages people to learn more about work being done to tackle crime and other problems in their area and is a great opportunity for local agencies, the Police and other partners to show-case the work they do to make communities safer and improve their quality of life.

A range of initiatives will happen over the course of the week such as operations to tackle anti social behaviour, dangerous driving, and drugs to more light-hearted events such as crime reduction bingo for elderly residents.

Chief Constable Colin Port said:

Not in My Neighbourhood Week is a great opportunity to proactively work with people to find out what their main concerns are and show the general public that we are tackling the priorities they have identified.

Also launched this week as part of the “Not in My Neighbourhood” activities, Police will add some sparkle and shine to the streets of Somerset West with the start of “Operation Glitter”, their winter-long “Cycle Safe” campaign.

The scheme is being run by staff at Taunton and Wellington Police Stations between November 2009 and February 2010 in partnership with Ralph Coleman Cycles, Halfords, Bicycle Chain, Kings Cycles and Ian’s Cycle Centre.

During the campaign the police will work with cyclists and the public to help promote safe cycling with an aim to reduce the amount of serious road traffic collisions, which happen because cyclists are not properly lit and to reduce cycle thefts at a time when many people receive new bikes for Christmas.

Cyclists found without lights during the official hours of darkness, face being given a fixed penalty notice. However, if lights are then bought, the receipt and the notice can be taken to a police station to have the ticket written off.

Officers will also provide information on how to protect your bike including how to register it on a national police website www.immobilise.com.

Sergeant Anthony Crowter says:

Operation Glitter is a great opportunity to reinforce how important it is to have bicycle lights during the hours of darkness and wear the correct health safety clothing.

This an educational drive to remind people of the legal requirement to use bike lights, we will be delaying a prosecution by requiring people we stop to produce their new lights with a receipt within 7 days. I would rather someone bought a set of lights than have to pay a £30 fine.

This story was orginally published on the Avon & Somerset Police website: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/

Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police

Portable scanners crack down on phone thieves

The News Shopper in Bromley has reported that thieves are facing instant detection on the streets after the borough’s police became the first in London to purchase portable scanners.

The handheld device scans the IMEI barcode inside the back of a mobile phone and checks it against the national property register to see if it is registered as stolen.

It can also be used to check mobile phones, laptops, MP3 players and bikes, and for phones where the barcode is not easily accessable officers can simply key in the IMEI number (accessable on all phones by keying *#06#) directly into the device.

Borough commander Chief Superintendent Charles Griggs said:

The operation is one of many throughout the year where we focus on the safety of the travelling public and tackling crime and disorder on public transport.

What is different is the use of Apollo. As a portable handheld solution Apollo offers my officers remote access to the national mobile phone register whether out in the field or in the custody suite and gives us the opportunity to quickly identify stolen property.

Bromley police is encouraging everyone to register with the secure national property register at immobilise.com.

This will help the police to identify items and return them to their owners if they get lost or stolen.

Anyone with information about robbery in Bromley should call the police on 01689 891212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

To read the source article in full please go to: The News Shopper

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police

Merseyside Police crack down on mobile phone and bike theft

The Formby Times has reported that Merseyside Police have been cracking down on youths who steal mobile phones and bikes.

Laura Jones of the Formby Times noted that since May 1 the operation has led to 44 arrests, 11 of those for robbery resulting in five people charged and six bailed.

Police officers have made 462 stop searches and 91 stop checks, while also checking up on 568 “vulnerable premises”.

During the operation 74 mobile phones have been checked against the Immobilise National Property Register which can help reunite victims of robbery with their phones.

The operation has already seen a decrease in crime in the targeted areas.

Along with more patrols and increased intelligence gathering the Police have been working with Secondary School pupils.

Chief Inspector Stuart Ellison said:

With the summer holidays coming arriving soon I want to give out a very strong but clear message, that the Police are cracking down on crime and disorder throughout Sefton and if you or have the intention of committing crime you be caught, arrested and prosecuted.

To read the source article in full please go to: Formby Times Online

Crime, Immobilise, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police

£250K New Home Office funding to tackle mobile phone crime

The Home Office has recently announced that £250,000 of funding has been made available to help police more swiftly identify stolen mobile phones.

The scheme will see the Police National Computer (PNC) linked to the National Mobile Phone Register (NMPR) enabling frontline officers to quickly and easily check if a phone has been registered as stolen from its rightful owner.

Home Office Minister, Alan Campbell said:
By working closely with the mobile phone industry we have already put in place measures to make it harder for thieves to profit from mobile phone theft – around 90% of handsets reported stolen are now blocked within 24 hours of reporting reducing their value and the incentive for thieves.

Linking the National Mobile Phone Register to the Police National Computer will also provide enormous benefits to the fight against mobile phone crime. Currently an average of 25% of searches result in the police obtaining vital information that could result in property being retrieved and cases being solved. I believe that putting this invaluable tool at frontline officer’s fingertips will see that number rise further.

The NMPR (National Mobile Property Register) is the national police database of registered property ownership and stolen property records. It is linked to voluntary databases – such as Immobilise.com, where people can enter their phone’s details. So if the phone is lost or stolen police can identify it and return it to the rightful owner.

To read the offical Home Office press release go to: Home Office Press Release

To visit the National Mobile Phone Register (NMPR) go to: NMPR

To visit the NMPCU (National Mobile Phone Crime Unit) go to: NMPCU