Tag Archives: Crime Prevention

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

Home Office unveils technologies to help protect Britain’s 75m mobile phone users from crime

stolenmobilephonesThree new design innovations to tackle mobile phone crime, including a device that locks a phone and alerts the owner if it is taken away from them, have been unveiled today. The prototypes were developed by teams of designers and technology experts as part of the Mobile Phone Security Challenge, an initiative from the Home Office Design and Technology Alliance and the Design Council, with support and funding from the Technology Strategy Board.

Although the adoption of the designs by the industry is by no means guaranteed, very few people disagree that more needs to be done to address crime relating to mobile phones and portable devices. Although overall crime has dropped since 1997, according to research performed by the University of Leicester, the type of crimes being committed has changed. Their findings suggest that a decade ago burglary was attractive to criminals as they would find households containing DVD players, videos etc that were easy to sell on. These days DVD players cost as little as £20 so have hardly any resale value.

As the phones and media devices we carry around with us have become more powerful, their values have increased and along with it their attractiveness to criminals.

Commenting on the research findings criminology lecturer James Treadwell said:

While we might have seen a decline in some types of crime, we have seen a rise in other forms of criminal activity, particularly young people who seem to be mugging one another

DVD players for example, got cheaper, certain consumer items became smaller and were very, very expensive and sought after, and so the latest mobile phone, or the latest iPod, which people carry about them, have become targets for robbers.

Mobile phone crime will never be an easy issue to address especially as devices become enabled for mobile payments, but new designs and initiatives like the Immobilise National Property Register / NMPR will continue to combat crime.

Links:

Immobilise National Property Register
Home Office: New technologies unveiled to help protect Britain’s 75m mobile phone users from crime
BBC News: Crime targets affected by drop in goods prices

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Report My Loss, Students

Bristol Police launch campaign to tackle expected spring burglaries

NewsImageNS19276NSU-1LARGEPolice in Bristol expect 1,000 homes to be burgled in the city in the next three months.

Bristol’s priority crime team want to reduce that number and prevent your home being one of those thousand, and to help they are launching a Spring burglary campaign.

Richard Kelvey, Detective Chief Inspector on the burglary team, said:

We know from previous statistics that there are likely to be 1,000 homes burgled in Bristol in the next three months.

We want to do everything we can to reduce that number and we are working hard but we need the public to be aware of how to make themselves and their homes less vulnerable to burglary.

Surprisingly, around 300 of all those burglaries expected to take place, will happen because someone forgets to lock a back door or leaves a window open. We know it is easily done when you are rushing to get out of the door for work or to get the kids to school – making the property insecure and giving thieves easy access.

Another method for burglars is smashing a small window or glass panel in a front or back door in order to put a hand through and unlock it – which is why keys should never be left in back doors or on nearby surfaces.

People are also advised to keep hard copy photos, receipts and descriptive records of their property as well registering it on national property database Immobilise so that it can be identified in the event it is stolen.

Councillor Gary Hopkins, Bristol City Council Cabinet Member for the Environment and Community Safety, said:

Although burglary rates are going down steadily we want to ensure everyone knows the simple precautions to take to reduce their chance of being burgled.

Avon & Somerset Police have some good tips to keep your home safe:

  • Lock it or lose it – always make sure you secure windows and doors before leaving your home, using ALL locks, including deadlocks and bolts on windows and doors.
  • If you have an alarm system ALWAYS set it before going out even if it’s only for a few minutes.
  • Don’t advertise your home to thieves – never leave valuable items on display in windows.
  • Never leave packaging for expensive items out in the recycling box all week: either put it out on the morning it’s due to be collected or take it to the tip.
  • If you have a side or back lane on your house make sure it is gated and well lit, so as to not give easy access to your property.
  • Use a switch timer and leave a radio when you go out.

To read the source article in full please go to: Avon and Somerset Police

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

Thames Valley Police: Got a new gadget? Immobilise it

Thames Valley Police are urging the public to make it one of their New Year’s resolutions to register personal property on the UK National Property Register, Immobilise.

Did you receive a new mobile phone, camera, bike, MP3 player or ‘sat nav’ this Christmas?

They are recommending that the public should Register your personal property at Immobilise.com so that, if your valuables get lost or stolen and police recover it, you’ll get it back. It could also help police officers to get the burglar or robber convicted.

It takes a few minutes to complete the registration, allowing you to create a free, private and secure portfolio of all your personal property.

Inspector Sean Hodgson, Force crime reduction officer, said:

Becoming a victim of crime is an incredibly upsetting experience for people, especially if personal possessions such as cameras or mobile phones are stolen with irreplaceable photos of loved ones and phone numbers of family and friends.

We are asking residents to help us and help themselves by registering all their valuables on the Immobilise database. People can register any item with a serial number.

He added:

Police officers may then be able to return any items they find to their rightful owner. It may also enable officers to secure a successful prosecution.

To read the source article in full please go to: Thames Valley Police Website

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Police, Students

York Police – Operation Spoke aims to expand cycle marking & registration scheme

© Copyright & Credit: The York Press
© Copyright & Credit: The York Press

In an expansion of the Immobitag cycle tagging scheme run by York Police, Operation Spoke is being launched by the YorkGuildhall Safer Neighbourhood Team, and officers hope thousands more bikes in York will registered in the coming weeks.

Complementing the Immobitag RF tag scheme, this additional initiative works by invisibly marking cycles with a unique registration number which will be stored on the Immobilise Property Register along with details of the cycle’s rightful owner.

PC Jonathan Hodgeon, one of the officers behind the scheme, said:

The unique number will be written on the bike in permanent UV pen, which officers can quickly scan in seconds, and if you don’t own the bike you will have to account for that.

This will help with city centre bike crime and also abandoned bikes will be able to be reunited with their owners. Along with Cycle City York, we are aiming to make bikes as well protected and identifiable as cars.

Sgt Jon Asvadi, who was also behind the launch, said:

There will be a lot of people saying that we are going back ten years with UV marking but it’s only through Safer York Partnership and City of York Council that we have been able to bring together the technology of UV pens, torches and the Immobilise website to create a process which is simple and quick and we know will be successful.

Sgt Asvadi said the data would be entered by vetted volunteers and special constables to ensure regular officers were not tied up.

Operation Spoke registration events will be held in York from January 13 to 17, in Parliament Street, on January 14, from 9am to 3pm, in Front Street, Acomb, on January 21, from 9am to 3pm at Oaklands Sports Centre, on January 23 at Tesco’s Askham Bar store, on January 20 and 21 at St Lawrence’s School and on January 22 and February 8 at the University of York.

To read the source article please go to: The York Press

Bicycles, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Police, Students

Manchester Police advise youngsters to keep expensive presents hidden

The Manchester Messenger has reported that young people across Trafford are being urged to keep new gadgets received as Christmas presents out of sight to avoid becoming a victim of street crime.

Greater Manchester Police say January is a peak time for robberies and muggings as people step out with valuable new gifts such as mobile phones and MP3 players. Statistics also show young people are the most likely victims.

In January 2009 there were 56 robberies across Trafford compared to 32 the previous month.

Trafford Division’s crime reduction advisor, Eleanor Kelly, said:

We’re advising people to leave their valuables at home or keep them out of sight when they are out and about on the street, in parks and on public transport.

It’s worth remembering that while most people are out hunting for bargains in the sales, criminals may be on a spree of a different kind, especially in busy high street areas. Most robberies are opportunistic, so by keeping valuables out of view you can reduce your risk of becoming a target.

Also, remember to register your valuables on www.immobilise.com

To read the sources story in full please go to: www.messengernewspapers.co.uk

Recipero

Recipero sign contract to provide real-time stolen phone blocking system to Asian networks

Recipero is delighted to have secured a contract to provide the Avalon real time stolen phone blocking system to Asian networks. The contract will allow consumers to report their phones as stolen to their home network and be blocked within minutes across all participating networks.

This will be the first time a system of this type has been implemented anywhere in the world as all other systems currently have a delay of at least 24 hours. Adrian Portlock CEO of Recipero commented:

This is a major step forward for the Avalon service and we are delighted to have secured this agreement, it will prove to networks all over the world that using cutting edge internet technology will offer a better service to the consumer and reduce the appeal to steal mobile phones. We are hopeful of having around 20 networks on the system over the next couple of years if all goes well.

Bicycles, Immobilise, Immobilize, ImmobiTag, Police

Police want to reunite stolen bikes with their rightful owners

NewsImageNS19075NSU-1LARGEAvon & Somerset Police seized 15 bikes from a property in Burnham-on-Sea in early December, following a search of the premises by officers. The bikes were identified as stolen property and, although five have already been reunited with their owners, 10 are still languishing unclaimed in police custody as their owners couldn’t be traced.

Local officers are keen to remedy this and return the bikes to their owners. An open day is planned at Burnham-on-Sea Police Station on Saturday January 9, 2010 between 4.00 – 6.00pm. Anyone who has had a bike stolen are encouraged to attend to see if any of the cycles are their missing property.

However, PCSO Gill Bawler said:

We are really keen to reunite as many bikes with their owners as possible. I would also like to take the opportunity to encourage people, especially if you have had a new bike for Christmas, to register it on www.immobilise.com or get your property marked. If you get your bicycle security marked it dramatically increases the chances of it being returned should it be lost or stolen.

Further information regarding home security, property marking and crime prevention can be obtained from your local Safer Stronger Neighbourhood team. You can contact them by calling 0845 456 7000 or you can visit: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk and select the Crime Prevention heading.

To read the source story in full please go to: http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Report My Loss

Merseyside Police adopt the Immobilise system

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Were you lucky enough to receive a new mobile phone, MP3 player, Sat Nav, bike or other valuables this Christmas? If so, Merseyside Police is urging you to make them less attractive to would be thieves by immobilising them.

Merseyside Police have adopted the Immobilise system – a property registering scheme which aims to make life as difficult as possible for thieves. The aim of the scheme is to encourage members of the public to register with the Immobilise website (www.immobilise.com), a simple process which takes just a few minutes.

The website allows users to register their personal possessions on a secure database free of charge. If any lost or stolen items are recovered by police, officers can retrieve the owner’s details from the website. They can be returned to the owner with, in the case of theft, a better prospect of a successful prosecution.

The Immobilise website is linked to the National Mobile Property Register, a national police database of registered property ownership and stolen property records.

Chief Inspector Stuart Ellison comments:

Being a victim of crime is awful at anytime, but the impact can often be greater at Christmas, particularly if gifts are stolen. Registering items on the site only takes a few minutes and it may help you become reunited with your property if it is stolen or lost.

The NMPR is searched thousands of times a day by forces across the UK and it is used routinely by Merseyside Police.

Merseyside Police advise taking the following precautions with items such as mobile phones and MP3 players:

  • Be aware of your surroundings, and conceal items if you feel uneasy.
  • Never leave your property unattended, keep it on you, not near you.
  • Be particularly vigilant whilst travelling home from school or college and when leaving railway stations or other public transport locations.
  • Finally, register your property for free at www.immobilise.com

Basically, you can register anything with a serial number – simply log onto www.immobilise.com. Then if any item of registered property is stolen, report it to the Police and, in the case of a mobile phone, for example, give police your IMEI number, inform your service provider and tell them to block both the SIM and handset. You should then update your online Immobilise account.

To read the Merseyside Police news article in full please go to: www.merseyside.police.uk

Crime, Immobilise, NMPR, Police

Rich pickings on New Year’s Eve – Police urge extra care

The Lancashire Telegraph has reported that police are urging residents to take extra steps in protecting their homes against New Year’s Eve burglars.

Residents are being asked to register their valuable Christmas presents online to help prevent thieves who target empty homes.

The national database immobilise.com is free and available to all UK police forces who use it to return lost and stolen possessions to their rightful owners.

Almost any item with a serial number recovered by police can be returned to the owner if registered on the database.

Users can also add photographs and certificates of ownership to their Immobilise account and once registered, can update their account with new possessions and take off items they no longer own Bury’s crime reduction advisor, Gaynor Mason, said:

Burglars expect people to be more relaxed and less cautious during the holiday season and take advantage of homes being unoccupied as people see in the new year with friends and family.

Residents can play their part by following the advice given to make sure they do not play host to any unwelcome visitors at this time of year.

Advice includes: shutting and locking all doors and windows; switching on burglar alarms; and using lights, radios and timer switches which can make homes look occupied while people are out celebrating.

Also keep valuables out of sight and dispose of boxes that contained valuables by taking them to the tip.

Those who are going away over the holidays are advised to ask a trusted neighbour to open and draw curtains, park their car on your drive and keep an eye on your home.

To read the the source article in full please go to: www.thisislancashire.co.uk

Bicycles, CheckMEND, Immobilise, Police, Report My Loss

Bath MP add his support to the Immobilise Property Register

Adding to the great support that the Immobilise Property Register receives though out the country, Bath MP Don Foster is calling on the local police to back the immobilise.com website.

Immobilise is the world’s largest free register of possession ownership details and together with its sister sites the Police’s NMPR (www.thenmpr.com) and CheckMEND (www.checkmend.com), forms a very effective tool in helping to reduce crime and repatriate recovered personal property to its rightful owners.

In Bristol the Avon and Somerset Police have held a stall for those who are unable to use the website itself, allowing residents to register their goods. All items with some form of identification, for instance a part number or serial number, can be registered on the website.

According to his website (www.donfoster.co.uk) Don Foster has asked Bath police to consider holding a street stall in early January to enable Christmas gifts to be registered.

Don Foster said;

When I heard about this website I immediately thought about bike post coding. It is great if stolen property can be re-united with the owner, and by registering your goods at immobilise.com you increase the chances of having goods returned to you.

I hope our local police will help to promote this scheme and also consider holding a street stall for those not able to sign up on-line.