The local News Paper Leigh Today has reported that Police are launching a crackdown on burglaries this Christmas:

As part of Operation Guardian, police in the borough are issuing a festive message to make sure people giving gifts don’t hand one to a thief this Christmas.
Officers are warning that the traditional Christmas scene, with a pile of presents under a tree, is a gift of an opportunity for a burglar.

The number of house break-ins rises significantly during the Christmas period as presents tempt burglars in to people’s homes.
Once inside, they take anything they can easily find, including credit cards, cheque books, bags and car keys.
Crime reduction advisor for Wigan division, Wendy O’Neil, said: “Everyone should have a happy and secure Christmas, so I would like to remind people of simple steps to ensure they keep their property safe.
“The sad fact is that more than one in three of all domestic burglaries in the Wigan Borough happen because people do not lock their doors and shut their windows meaning the opportunist thief does not even have to use force to gain access.
“Even if you are in the house you should still lock external doors, and keep windows shut. If the room is stacked full of presents, close the curtains and help to make sure your hard-earned gifts don’t end up in someone else’s hands.”

Police are also urging residents to register their valuables free-of-charge at www.immobilise.com
The online database allows officers to search for lost or stolen items of identifiable property and is the world’s largest free register of ownership details.
Almost any item with a serial number recovered by police can be returned to the owner if it is registered on the database. Users can also add photographs and certificates of ownership to their Immobilise account.

Ms O’Neil added: “Many items we recover from criminals are not given back to their owners, as without some proof of ownership we do not know who they belong to.
“Spending five minutes registering details of your Christmas gifts and other valued possessions for free on www.immobilise.com means that their details are instantly available to us and all other forces across the country.”

To read the orginal article please go to: Leigh Today

“Don’t make it is easy for thieves this Christmas” is the message being given out by Dyfed Powys Police in the run up to the festive season.

Don’t gift wrap Christmas for criminals this year – they are your presents, protect them.

At this time of year people go shopping and sometimes leave what they have bought in full view on the back seats of their car while it is parked in a car park. Or they put wrapped presents underneath Christmas tree’s in their homes in full view of people walking past in the street, said Assistant Chief Constable Nick Ingram.

These are easy targets for thieves. They know that there are likely to be high value goods in the bags or all wrapped up – don’t make it easy for them.

Dyfed Powys is a safe area to live, but it is important not to get complacent.

Also it is important to remember to register your valuables. A few years ago we encouraged people to post mark their property. This is the twenty first century equivalent. You can go online to immobilise.com and register your valuables.

If the worst happens and you are burgled, and the police recover stolen items they will search the immobilise database and return the goods to the rightful owners.

To read this article in full please go to: The Tivyside Advertiser

Middlesbrough Police, in conjunction with the Safer Middlesbrough Partnership and Safe in Tees Valley, are publicising a pre-Christmas message to ensure that any new mobile phone is registered is registered on the Immobilise Property system.

It is recommending that any youngsters who receive a mobile phone for Christmas take the proactive step of registering the phones details on Immobilise.

Detective Chief Inspector Shane Sellers, of Middlesbrough Police, said:

Last year 835 mobile phones were reported stolen in the district.

Registering mobile phones on the www.immobilise.com website should have an impact in reducing this figure, particularly where phones have been stolen, as the phone can very quickly be blocked on the UK network, rendering it useless to the thief.

Please note that in addition to updating your phones’ status on Immobilise (which makes the details available for police searches in realtime), any person who has lost their phone or had it stolen should contact their network provider asap to have it blocked. For details of relevant Network numbers please go to: Reporting your phone as stolen in the UK

To read the original article go to: www.gazettelive.co.uk/news

The Ipswich Evening Star reported on Suffolk Police’s current campaign to remind to take crime prevention measures over the festive period to keep their valuables safe:

With stories every year about families having their Christmas presents stolen, the police have issued some simple measures to reduce the chances of this happening. These include not leaving shopping bags of presents in view in cars and not leaving presents, especially expensive ones, under the Christmas tree where they can be seen through a window.

People can register their valuable Christmas presents at an online database (www.immobilise.com). The serial number can be registered, which will help keep property safe and reunite stolen items with their rightful owners.

Inspector Ben Cook from the crime reduction department stresses the importance of being careful this Christmas.

He said: “Only place the packaging of gifts outside your property on the morning of your rubbish collection to avoid advertising what valuable items you have.”

“Residents should ensure they have some lights on timers during the darker evenings. Do not give thieves any opportunity to ruin Christmas.”

To read the full story please go to the Ipswich Evening Star Website