Don’t be caught out when the clocks go back this Sunday, 31st October.
Autumn is well and truly here; the leaves are turning, and the nights are drawing in. Unfortunately, this time of year provides darkness as cover for would-be burglars, but you can help protect your home from opportunist thieves.
Keep curtains and blinds shut at night!
Make sure valuables are not visible through windows.
If you have a burglar alarm, remember to set it!
Always lock doors and windows even when you’re at home and secure sheds.
If you’re going out, try to make your home look occupied by using devices like timer switches to control lights or a TV Simulator (shop.immobilise.com/tv-sim-burglar-deterrent/) to deter would-be thieves.
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.
Great to hear the @royalmint investing in new phone recycling tech. We hope they will expect their supply chain to utilise CheckMEND to avoid destroying discarded phones implicated in a crime that may contain vital evidence. CheckMEND.com is the only due-diligence service assuring compliance with the UK Recyclers’ Code of Best Practice.
Smartphones: The Royal Mint to extract gold from old phones
Recipero is pleased to be participating at the well-respected ORIS Risk Summit event at the De Vere Wokefield Estate in Berkshire, UK. Working alongside our law enforcement liaison officers, we are speaking to the retail and logistics community to combat business and retail crime. Recipero directly contributes to over £35m of loss prevention monthly in the UK alone. Please come and visit our stand. We would be delighted to talk to you about how we can help your organisation.
When it comes to home security, the front door continues to be a leading target for potential break-ins. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, 76% of domestic burglars in England and Wales accessed a property through a door, and in 24% of cases where entry was gained, the door was unlocked!
Opportunistic thieves have been using different tactics to break into homes, including lock snapping and various tools to gain access. And so, having a front door lock that meets specific standards set by professional institutions will help prevent break-ins.
The nights are drawing in. Check that your shed or garage is secure. Make sure valuables are hidden from view, locked down, marked, and registered on immobilise.com. The opportunist burglar will typically try a shed or garage first to find the tools they need to break into the main house, or steal valuables that can make some easy cash.
Suburban home wooden storage utility unit shed with miscellaneous stuff on shelves, bikes, ladder, garden tools, and equipment.
According to Police, the top five most common items stolen from sheds are:
Day 2 at #ESS2021 has started well. We are getting many visitors to our stand, demonstrating the value of our data-driven solutions to support law enforcement. We had the pleasure of being visited by Bonnie, one of the search dogs from the National Search & Rescue Dog Association, who made great use of our stress balls. If you would like one, we are on stand H93. Talk to us about how we can help you combat retail fraud, property crime, and much more. #lawenforcement#police#retail
To secure a bike, all you need to find is the frame number or add any marking product and record that number instead. It’s completely free, forever. If your bike goes missing, you can easily log in to immobilise.com 24/7 and change the status to lost or stolen, making it immediately visible to police and traceable back to you. Registration could be the difference between a criminal getting away with it or being charged and your bike being returned.
