Tag Archives: Home Security

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

Police in Bath give new Students advice and support on living away from home for the first time

BathPoliceNewsImageNS17900NSUPolice in Bath have been heavily involved in fresher’s weeks at both Bath Spa University and City of Bath College in the last week. Officers are attending fresher’s fayres giving advice, handing out information and making students aware of how to look after themselves when living away from home for the first time.

This week sees the arrival of Bath’s biggest influx of new students at the University of Bath and police are involved again getting in touch with the new students in the city.

Chief Superintendent Gary Davies says;

In an ideal world I would like to be able to send letters to parents of new students before their children arrive in Bath for their time studying here. Mainly this would be a letter of reassurance as we are a safe environment for young people to come to but also to just highlight the ways in which students can help look after themselves by taking notice of some simple crime prevention advice. Our work with the students when they arrive this week will go a long way to keeping them and their property safe. We are also committed to a standard of behaviour in our night time economy and we need to make sure our new residents know how to behave.

At the freshers fayre on October 2nd students will get crime prevention advice, see a rape awareness campaign and have the opportunity to ask questions of officers on issues such as safety and recruitment. Students will also get the opportunity to register mobile phones, ipods and valuable property on www.immobilise.com. Immobilise helps UK police forces to identify the owner of lost & stolen goods thousands of times every day and return items to rightful owners.

Sergeant Geoff Cannon from Bath’s Community Safety Team commented:

When new 1st year students arrive at university the first thing on their mind is rarely to keep expensive property out of sight or to check locks on accommodation or to remember to walk home with people they know and not alone. It is understandable that they are excited and we want to welcome them to our city to enjoy all that it has to offer. Bath police officers are very approachable and this gives students the opportunity to talk to us on the day and to feel confident to talk to us at any time in the future.

Bath police are working on crime reduction at the freshers fayre with Heart FM and thank them for their support. They both continue to promote the message “Bath is a beautiful city we need your help to keep it that way”.

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

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, ImmobiTag, Police

Metropolitan Police work to “immobilise” bike theft

PC Carr from Highgate Safer Neighbourhoods Team with Ralph Crisp
PC Carr from Highgate Safer Neighbourhoods Team with Ralph Crisp

London’s Metropolitan Police has reported that officers from its Safer Neighbourhoods Teams have been helping people to register their bicycles on immobilise.com in an effort to combat a spate of bike thefts in which eighteen bicycles worth an estimated total of almost £13,000 were reported stolen in Highgate alone.

Officers are also carrying out covert and overt patrols and ‘decoy bikes’, to see if they can catch criminals red handed. Officers have made several arrests on suspicion of handling stolen goods as a result of proactive police work.

Sergeant Leon Christodoulou, Highgate Safer Neighbourhoods team said:

We’ve been going door to door to offer crime prevention advice on car and bike security and register people’s property on immobilise. We are happy for anyone in the area that owns a bike to contact us on 020 8721 2673 and we will arrange to register the bike on immobilise.com for them at no cost.

Police urge cyclists to follow some simple guidance around securing their bicycles, to help prevent theft:

  • Record and register your bike: – register your bicycle model, make and frame number free on the immobilise.com property register.
  • Take a clear colour photograph of your bike and make a written record of its description, including any unique features.
  • Invest in quality locks and use them. Look for the ‘secured by design’ quality mark. As a general guide look to spend about a tenth of the value of your bike on locks to secure it. (ie: secure a £1000 bike with £100 worth of locks).
  • Secure removable parts. Lock both wheels and the frame together. Take smaller parts and accessories with you, for example, lights, pumps and quick-release saddles.
  • Secure your bike to an immovable object. Consider installing a floor or wall mounted anchor lock for extra security at home. Remember that thieves can remove drainpipes and lift bikes off signposts.
  • Always lock your bicycle, even if you are just leaving it for a couple of minutes.
  • Secure your bike in well-lit, busy areas where any potential thief would be easily seen.
  • Park your bike safely and considerately, where it will not cause a danger or obstruction to others – particularly the elderly or the very young, or people with a disability.

More infromation onf bike security can be found at the London Cycling Campaign website www.Icc.org.uk for further security advice. If you think you are being offered a stolen bike, ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

To read the source article in full please go to: Metropolitain Police

Crime, Immobilise, Mobile Phones, Police

Police urge residents to keep doors and windows secured

Following a number of burglaries in Suffolk, police are urging residents to keep their properties secure at all times.

All of the homes that were targeted by the thieves in the Stowmarket and Stowupland area had left a window or a door open or unlocked resulting in items including mobile phones, digital cameras, mp3 players, laptops, wallets and games consoles have been stolen, worth a combined total of over £4,000.

Detective Sergeant Ann Naylor, of Suffolk police, said:

It may be tempting to leave windows and doors open whether overnight or during the day in the summer – but this is an invitation to enter your property for a burglar, who will take advantage of the easy access.

Whether you are inside or outside in the garden, keep doors and windows secure so only you can get in and out.

Most of the items taken are small and easily portable – however they are traceable if you take the right steps to safeguard your property. Security mark items and take photos of any valuables, these pictures could help trace them in the event that they are stolen.

You can also register with the free national property database Immobilise at www.immobilise.com. This national system is used by most police forces, including Suffolk – all you need to do is enter the serial number of your phone, computer, MP3 player, bike or anything else with such a code, and update the system if it is lost or stolen.

If the police seize stolen property, or an item is found, officers can search the database to find out who the item belongs to, and your property will be returned. You can also use the system to find out if a second-hand item you want to buy is stolen.

To read the source article please go to: EADT Online

Crime, Immobilise, Police

Help beat the burglar this Spring

Avon and Somerset Police are asking us all to help beat the burglars this Spring by taking a few easy steps to help protect your home.

As the warm weather and longer evenings arrive, more people will be spending time outside or going away for an Easter holiday. This can leave houses easy targets for opportunist burglars who will seize their chance if they spot a window left open, an empty home or a hedge which allows them to work hidden from view.

Avon and Somerset suggest that there are some simple steps you can take to protect your house and garden while at home and on holiday.

The focus of the preventative measures is on securing garden boundaries and entry points to houses, and ensuring houses look lived in while you are away. If you are going away on holiday try to make sure your house still looks lived in. Cancel milk and newspaper deliveries, make sure there are no valuables on view and invest in some timers which turn on lights when it is dark. While at home remember to make sure garden boundaries are secure with high fences, locked garden gates and security lighting which comes on when people are around.

Speaking about these tips, Detective Chief Inspector Martyn Triggol said:

The steps you can take to protect your home are not expensive or time-consuming. They are easy to implement and effective in reducing the risk of becoming a victim of burglary. Look at your home from the street and think about how a burglar may break in – and then take the necessary steps to deny them this opportunity. Thieves will use whatever they can find to help them including ladders, tools which are left lying around and wheelie bins, which can be easily moved and can be used to reach higher windows. The Avon and Somerset Constabulary website has tips on securing your home and I would recommend that people take a look.

The effort invested now may save a great deal of inconvenience later on if you are unfortunate enough to become a burglary victim. Many stolen items will be irreplaceable, such as photographs stored on stolen cameras and phone numbers stored on stolen phones. Victims may also have to spend time cancelling stolen bank cards, passports and driving licences, replacing door locks and filling out insurance claim forms.

Anyone who feels they would benefit from further advice can speak to a crime prevention officer by calling Avon and Somerset Constabulary on 0845 456 7000.

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