2014 was a busy year for Recipero with our customers checking over $4 Billion worth of devices using our solutions.
We have pulled a few more more facts and figures from our Crime Reduction Ecosystem that are summarised in the attached infographic “2014 Mobile Device Crime Facts and Figures”.
To learn more about Recipero’s Crime Reduction Ecosystem and our solutions that contribute to it, please visit our main website at www.recipero.com.
Police are urging people to get their new gifts logged to keep them out of the hands of thieves.
The Northumberland Gazette has reported that Northumbria Police are advising residents to get new bikes, phones, electricals, tools and other valuables registered with free property logging website Immobilise.com
And those who received iPads, iPhones and other similar smartphones and tablets for Christmas are urged to activate built-in GPS systems and download apps which help locate stolen property.
The immediate crime prevention activity will mean if new property is stolen and later recovered it can be returned to the rightful owner, as well as potentially catching criminals in possession of stolen goods.
The advice is part of Operation Soundwave – a campaign aimed at cutting volume crime and tackling opportunist thieves – which is ongoing over the festive season.
Immobilise is the world’s largest register of property where members of the public can log their valuables – anything such as mobile phones, bikes, tools, electricals and gardening equipment. It’s free to register and takes just a few minutes to sign up.
Ownership details can be viewed by police across the country on the National Mobile Property Register (NMPR), which allows officers to check a recovered item and instantly find the owner.
Northumbria Police Superintendent Mick Paterson said:
Many people will have received devices such as iPhones, games consoles and laptops for Christmas and I’m sure crime prevention is not something which is at the forefront of people’s mind when they have just received gifts and are enjoying festivities.
But I’d like to remind people that it’s important to take a few moments to take a note of the serial number and register with immobilise where an image can be uploaded and the serial number recorded.
It means if it is stolen and recovered, it can be returned to the rightful owner as well as ensuring those found in possession of it can be dealt with, potentially preventing further crime.
The more people that register with immobilise, the easier it is to return stolen property and the more difficult it is for criminals to profit from their crimes.
Gadget-lovers are also being urged to make the most of tracking technology to stay one step ahead of thieves.
Supt Paterson added:
We of course would urge everyone to protect their property from thieves in the first place, such as making sure phones are secured in zip pockets or handbags, not leaving items lying around on pub or cafe tables and never leaving electronic items on show in a vehicle.
However, if such equipment is stolen, taking this simple step can make the difference between losing the item forever or having it tracked, located and seized by police.
Modern technology has its place alongside the more traditional police work and we’ll continue to combine all investigative techniques to cut crime across Northumbria and stop thieves in their tracks.
For more crime prevention information visit http://www.northumbria.police.uk/crimeprevention, while people are urged to sign up to free property register Immobilise at www.immobilise.com
It’s also vital residents report anything suspicious to police straight away so they can investigate. Police can be called on 101, or to report a crime ongoing dial 999.
Carmarthenshire Police Neighbourhood Development Team and Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership are working together with retailers to get electrical items purchased in stores uploaded onto www.immobilise.com at the point of purchase.
Starting on Wednesday December 3rd, retailers will give customers the opportunity to register their new electrical and valuable items recorded and uploaded onto the national property registration site for FREE.
Registration forms for www.immobilise.com accounts will be completed within the store with customers before being put online by Dyfed Powys Police officers. Once registered with an account the owners will then have the opportunity to add further property onto that account.
The online Immobilise property registration system used by all UK police forces via the NMPR, and second hand traders via CheckMEND to check whether property that is recovered or offered for sale they come in contact with is stolen. If so it allows them to return it to the owners and also assists in bringing offenders to justice who are in possession of the property.
The scheme is being rolled out to tackle the issue of victims not being able to provide full details of their property when it is lost or stolen. In addition it is hoped it will assist the police in bring those responsible for stealing property and handling the property to justice.
PS78 Moore said:
Over the past few years we have adopted a very successful partnership with Carmarthenshire Community Safety and attended community events encouraging members of the public to take measures registering and securing their property. This has been reasonably successful, but by registering the property at the point of purchase it is hoped that even more people will benefit being signed up to www.immobilise.com.
We have currently rolled this initiative out for Cycles with Halfords in Llanelli and Carmarthen and are confident our decision to expand the initiative to the other retailers will benefit all in our commitment to prevent crime.
Links:
Humberside Police are working in partnership with ASDA at Mount Pleasant Retail Park to get electrical items purchased in the store uploaded onto www.immobilise.com at the point of purchase.
Starting Sunday 31 August 2014, the store will give customers the opportunity to register their new electrical and valuable items recorded and uploaded onto the national property registration site for FREE.
Registration forms for www.immobilise.com accounts will be completed within the store with customers before being put online by Humberside Police volunteers. Once registered with an account the owners will then have the opportunity to add further property onto that account.
Immobilise is an online property registration system used by all UK police forces and second hand dealers to check whether property that is recovered or offered for sale they come in contact with is stolen. If so it allows them to return it to the owners and also assists in bringing offenders to justice who are in possession of the property.
The scheme is being rolled out to tackle the issue of victims not being able to provide full details of their property when it is lost or stolen. In addition it is hoped it will assist the police in bring those responsible for stealing property and handling the property to justice.
PCSO Chris Wright said:
Over the past few years police have attended community events and other engagement opportunities to encourage members of the public to register all their property on the site. This has been reasonably successful, but by registering the property at the point of purchase it is hoped that even more people will benefit being signed up to www.immobilise.com.
I am delighted that ASDA have agreed to offer this service and builds on the strong links we have the stores in this area. They were quick to get involved with Operation Sodium to assist the force in tackling retail crime and their support in hosting a wide range of crime prevention events in stores.
If the immobilise registration proves a success in ASDA I hope other retailers will follow suit and look at the possibility of offering a similar service to their customers.
A similar initiative was rolled out via Cycle shops in Hull in April and to date over 1000’s new cycles have been registered onto www.immobilise.com.
To read the source story please go to: http://www.humberside.police.uk/newsmedia/hull-police-and-asda-work-together-to-get-shoppers-property-on-immobilise
Gadget owners across West Berkshire are being encouraged by local police to register their goods online so that officers can easily track them in the event that they are stolen.
Sgt Alan Hawkett who is part of the local policing team for Bucklebury and Downlands is leading the initiative and wants people to register their equipment on to the Immobilise website. The free web-site records unique serial numbers for many items including i-pads and bicycles so that police can track them in the event that they are stolen.
Historically, if you had your television stolen you wouldn’t have the serial number
This scheme allows you to upload this information on to the Immobilise system.
If an item is stolen the public needs to notify both the police and Immobilise, which will then enable us to be able to see it as a stolen item on the site with the serial number.
Sgt Hawkett feels that use of this system will help deter thieves because;
soon it will become common knowledge that people can label their property which is then identifiable to the police.
The information stored on the website will only be accessed by officers in the event of a theft being reported, says Sgt Hawkett.
The police have already been successful in encouraging members of the public to sign up to the scheme. Since June 245 items were registered on the service at a three-hour session for members of the public, and a further 23 on July 25 at an event in Thatcham, followed by 33 sign-ups on August 2nd.
The police were also in Newbury town centre last Saturday between 6pm and 11pm informing members of the public of the scheme and Sgt Hawkett says that 36 accounts were created at the session. Banjo Cycles and Specialised Concept Store in Newbury are both involved with the project and support it.
To view the source story please go to: www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/public-urged-to-log-items-online-to-deter-thieves
Sussex Police are urging the public to join the battle against burglars by logging their valuables on the Immobilise National Property Register which allows police and the public to work together to make stolen items too hot to handle.
Residents can enter the details of their possessions on the free website and report when they have been stolen.
Police officers not just in Sussex but around the UK can then check the details of items that they find or seize against the database. By confirming that the seized items had been stolen, officers can then look to prosecute whoever they were seized from for burglary or handling stolen goods – and can return the valuables to their rightful owners.
Sussex Police is encouraging residents to use Immobilise as part of Operation Magpie, the force’s crackdown on burglary across the county.
In support of Operation Magpie and Immobilise Registration Sussex Police have also produced an informative video that can be watched on youtube: Sussex Police Youtube video promoting Immobilise
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Betts said:
When our officers respond to reports of burglary, they often cannot get enough detailed information about the items which have been stolen – without old boxes for electrical items or photographs of jewellery for example it can be very difficult to accurately identify what has been taken.
Better information greatly increases the chances of us being able to reunite stolen property with its rightful owner, helps us to get a better picture of which burglaries could be linked and gives us the evidence we need to prove that property is stolen.
That helps us to link items to burglars and those trading in stolen goods and means we can get offenders off the streets and into the courts.
Katy Bourne, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner, is backing the campaign urging residents to register their property. She said:
I’d like to see as many residents as possible playing their part in helping to beat burglary in Sussex.
It’s simple – and it’s free – to register your personal items on the website and I hope people will do so. As well as making it easier for the police to track down registered owners, it can also act as a deterrent as it makes it harder for thieves to sell items on because they can be identified.
As well as registering mobile phones and electrical items with serial numbers, residents can also register other items by uploading photographs and giving a description.
They can also use the website to instantly access a list of all their property and to print off certificates of ownership if they need to make a claim to their insurance company.
You can register your property in just a few minutes by visiting www.immobilise.com.
Humberside Police and cycle shops across Hull are continuing to work together with more than 650 new cycles registered onto www.immobilise.com by stores since the end of May 2014.
Chris Hardy, Hull’s Second Hand Dealers Officer said: “Cycle stores have been quick to embrace the opportunity to support the police in tackling cycle crime. The fact over 650 new cycles have been registered in just over six weeks is an excellent up take. I hope by increasing cycles registered on-line we can reduce cycle thefts in the city, with thieves reluctant to take property which is identifiable and thus can lead to prosecution for stealing or even handling stolen property.
“People really should consider using the website “CheckMEND” to check any second-hand cycle, or indeed any item with a unique serial number, they are looking to purchase. Humberside Police are uploading the serial / frame number of all items reported to us as stolen, onto the database and the use of CheckMEND checks protects members of the public from inadvertently buying stolen goods”.
For more information please visit:
Read the source store in full: www.humberside.police.uk/newsmedia/hull-over-650-cycles-registered-onto-wwwimmobilisecom-by-cycle-shops
The Immobilise Property Register: www.immoblise.com
Consumer electronics background history reports: www.checkMEND.com/uk/
The Humberside Police website: www.humberside.police.uk
The Hull Daily Mail has reported that bike shop owners are joining forces with police to tackle the scourge of cycle theft. Participating stores are encouraging people that purchase new bikes to register them on the online Immobilise National Property Database.
If the bike is stolen and recovered, police will be able to check the database via their NMPR system and return it to its owner.
Chris Hardy, Hull’s secondhand dealers officer, said:
Cycle stores have been quick to embrace the opportunity to support the police with this initiative, which is a fantastic opportunity for their customers to get their cycles registered on Immobilise before they leave the store.
By increasing the number of cycles registered online, I hope we can reduce cycle thefts in the city, as thieves will be reluctant to take property that is identifiable and can lead to prosecution for stealing the cycles or even handling stolen property.
As well as cycles, other property can be registered by the public on to the system once an account has been set up.
Bike theft has been rising in the city with an increase in shed and garage break-ins.
Ainthorpe Primary School pupil Grace Horton, nine, was reunited with her beloved bike three days after a burglary at her family’s home in West Hull. It had been stamped and added to Immobilise during an event run by police at the school.
Her mum Julie said:
She was inconsolable when I told her it had been stolen, even when I said I would buy her a new bike.
She said she just wanted her old one back.
Grace’s bike was found dumped outside a house three days after the break-in last month. The occupant called the police, who checked the their systems and realised it belonged to Grace.
Miss Horton said:
She was absolutely over the moon when the police said she could have her bike back.
I am so pleased she had it stamped, otherwise we never would have seen it again.
For more information please visit:
The Immobilise Property Register: www.immoblise.com
The Humberside Police website: www.humberside.police.uk
For the source story please go to: www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-bike-shops-crackdown-cycle-theft
The Metropolitan Police have reported that a mobile phone that was recorded as being stolen in Croydon has been returned to its owner after police managed to track it down when the phone was sold on eBay.
The victim, a 32 year-old woman, reported to police that her phone had been stolen in Croydon town centre on Monday, 10 March. Initial enquiries failed to identify any suspects, as the shop’s CCTV had not recorded the incident.
However, police received an alert via their NMPR system that the phone’s IMEI number had been checked by somebody using the CheckMEND service – a service that allows people to see if a phone has been reported stolen or been blocked.
Through further enquiries, officers managed to identify that the phone had been put up for sale on the auction website within hours of if being reported stolen. Officers eventually identified the seller and on Thursday 17 April a 29-year-old woman was subsequently interviewed by police. She claimed to have found the phone in the town centre and decided to sell it on. She provided officers with the details of the person to whom she had sold the phone, and after further enquiries, the police were able to retrieve the phone from the buyer and return it to the owner on 17 April.
The 29-year-old woman was cautioned for the offence of theft by finding.
PC Robert Sidney from the Broad Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team, who investigated the case said:
This case highlights two important points. Firstly, if you’re buying a phone second-hand or over the Internet, then it is definitely worth checking to see if it has been reported stolen. You can do this through the CheckMEND website and whilst there is a small fee, it could save you a lot of money later on.
Secondly, whether you find a phone or any other expensive item or gadget in the street, then you could be committing an offence by simply keeping it. You should contact police or attend a police station to hand it in. If it doesn’t get claimed by the owner then it will be given to the finder, but if you just keep it then you could be committing a criminal offence.
To view the source stories please see:
MET Police: met.police.uk/News/Stolen-phone-returned-to-owner-by-police
Croydon Guardian: croydonguardian.co.uk/news/
Durham Police have launched ‘Operation Spoke’ a initiative aimed at reducing bicycle theft across County Durham & Darlington.
As part of Operation Spoke Durham Constabulary will be working closely with local cycle retailers, Immobilise.com and other organisations to introduce a bicycle marking scheme to property mark and register bicycles in County Durham and Darlington.
The aim of the scheme is that every new cycle sold will be marked and registered to their new owner. Current bicycle owners can also attend their local cycle retailers, police stations and other cycle marking events to have their cycle(s) marked and registered under the scheme.
Crime Prevention Officer PC David Williamson said:
This really is a fantastic opportunity for anyone wishing to protect their bicycle, a simple yet highly effective method of preventing a bicycle from being taken and it takes only a few minutes.
All customers who sign up to the scheme will be asked to complete a registration document, details provided will then be put onto a database so that Police can check the identity of cycles to identify them and to target bicycle thieves.
The officer launching the initiative, Det Supt Kevin Weir said:
The key benefit of the scheme is that should a bicycle be stolen it will be easy to identify by police. This means a stolen bicycle will be easy to return to a rightful owner.
I am also hopeful that the introduction of this scheme will be a deterrent to bicycle thieves. The message I want to send out is simple; if you are buying a new bicycle for Christmas this year or indeed into 2014, please register it with your retailer as part of Operation Spoke. Our aim is to get as many bikes as possible registered under the scheme, reducing the opportunity for bicycle theft across our force area.
People are asked to contact their local neighbourhood policing team, police station or cycle retailer for further information about the scheme.
To view the source story please go to: www.durham.police.uk