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.
This story in the Telegraph is typical of the type of issue we see consumers and traders encounter each day.
Our advice when considering the purchase of a secondhand mobile device regardless of whether it is via online auction sites like eBay or a bricks an mortar shop, is to check its history with www.CheckMEND.com which provides the most comprehensive check available.
CheckMEND is part of the Recipero Crime Reduction Ecosystem that has been developed over the past 15 years in partnership with Police, Retailers, Networks, Insurers, and the Public delivering tangible crime reduction benefits throughout the industry.
Continue reading Buyer beware – Use CheckMEND and buy with confidence
At the FCC’s Technical Advisory Committee meeting on December 4th (FCC video – view from 39 minutes) Chairman Wheeler shared what he will be asking industry to do to reduce levels of mobile device theft.
This is important progress for consumers, many of whom choose not to enable such mechanisms. In future it is hoped they will have to actively choose to disable them. Consumer choice will not be restricted – but they will be protected by default. In the area of theft from consumers, such functionality is having an effect already. Changing the default configuration will ensure more consumers are protected.
This is absolutely crucial to both the good operation of cellular networks and in the fight against crime. The practice of reprogramming is already outlawed in several countries but enforcement is virtually impossible. Making identifiers immutable at a hardware level will make circumvention uneconomical for criminals. At the same time it will ensure that existing tools such as cross-operator blocking continue to effectively contribute to the fight against device crime.
This request has three components and is the most significant recommendation. Data sharing is already used to reduce wider crimes involving corporate theft and contract fraud that blocking or ‘kill switch’ functions do not address but there are gaps that need to be addressed.
Industry needs to use the “best of breed” databases to share information.
Current systems have limitations at odds with the fast-paced world of wireless. It is clear that there is no technological barrier to having real-time data sharing between networks, law enforcement and traders. In Malaysia the Communications and Multimedia Commission has successfully implemented and will soon launch real-time blocking and information sharing between networks and other parties. The attentions of the FCC in this area should raise awareness with industry.
The Chairman sets the challenge “There must be an app for that!” Well, there is, of course, and it can be accessed by law enforcement officers from any smartphone, tablet or web browser at www.nmpr.com. This web application brings together databases old and new in one place that officers can use very simply. The global NMPR is used by over 80,000 police officers and staff in the UK and 75 agencies in the US are currently trialing its use. We anticipate that the FCC’s attention in this area will encourage all law enforcement agencies to explore this powerful tool.
Some industry leaders including Sprint, Gamestop and Gazelle adopted such practices up to two years ago. They recognized that simply checking whether a phone is blocked by another network is not enough. Less than 50% ¹ of phones that are not in the hands of the rightful owner are reported to networks. Those subject to insurance claims, corporate theft, supply chain leakage, contract and rental fraud account for a massive amount of thefts that do not result in network blocking or kill switch activation. These can only be addressed by both data sharing from industry and appropriate due-diligence at the point of trade.
The Chairman’s requests to industry are clear, focused and actionable. The solutions to each challenge are available and cost effective. The wireless industry and law enforcement would do well to look closely at those solutions.
¹ As at 8th Dec 2014 US blocked phones accounts for 48.9% of the total US stolen phones that Recipero holds records of.
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.
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/
South Yorkshire Police have recovered stolen property valued over £3million from criminals who are intent on causing misery to South Yorkshire residents and motorists.
Fishing tackle, quad bikes, jewellery, building materials and a lorry carrying a crane are just some of the more unusual items seized by officers since the launch of Operation Lockdown in October 2013.
Electrical items, mainly sat navs, car stereos, TVs, mobile phones and games consoles, have also been recovered from burglaries and vehicle crimes, and where possible, returned to their owners.
Chief Inspector Iain Chorlton said:
Having valuable or personal items stolen from your home or car is a distressing experience so any property we recover and return to people is good news.
We’re doing our utmost to track down criminals and recover stolen items but the public can help us, and more importantly themselves, by registering their property on the Immobilise website.
The online database is quick and free to use, and could help individuals to get their items back if they are lost or stolen. We know that people would rather not have anything stolen in the first place but thanks to Immobilise and the action we are taking, life is becoming more difficult for thieves.
The Force is deploying ‘sting’ vehicles across the county and officers are working closely with Crimestoppers to maximise intelligence and add to the thousand-plus arrests that have already been made during Operation Lockdown.
Between 1 October 2013 and 12 January 2014, police recovered stolen property linked to burglary and vehicle crime in South Yorkshire worth an estimated £3,017,629.
South Yorkshire Police would love to return stolen items to their owners and people can register their valuables free of charge at www.immobilise.com.
Further information about home and vehicle security is available in the Help and advice section of the Force’s website.
Anyone with information about burglary or vehicle crime should contact South Yorkshire Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
View the source story at: www.southyorks.police.uk
Recipero, the global experts in device-led data and analytics solutions, today have announced the launch of the CheckMEND Charter.
The CheckMEND Charter was created as a means of establishing an industry-led set of best practices to prevent trading of stolen consumer electronics. In addition to protecting consumers and helping to avoid confusion and frustration, Charter participants pledge to actively help law enforcement agencies combat theft and fraud related to consumer electronics.
Several of the US’s biggest consumer electronics retail, reCommerce and recycling companies are already operating in accordance with its principles, including the leading trade-in site Gazelle.
Gazelle was the first US consumer electronics trade-in site to deploy CheckMEND and continue to demonstrate their commitment to the consumer and industry through their involvement with the Charter and its creation.
Israel Ganot, CEO, Gazelle.
“When we first entered into a partnership with Recipero to leverage the CheckMEND tool, our goal was quite simple: to prevent thieves from benefiting from stolen consumer electronics, the new CheckMEND Charter takes this a step further, not only ensuring that Gazelle will never pay a consumer for a device that has been reported as lost or stolen, but to also ensure law enforcement agencies can more effectively combat consumer electronic device theft.
The CheckMEND Charter is a voluntary scheme, open to trade users of CheckMEND who agree to abide by its principles. In support of the Charter and its members, Recipero’s experienced CheckMEND team act as a trusted third party to help troubleshoot any issues that consumers may encounter with devices that are rejected.
Mark Harman, CEO of Recipero, commented:
“The adoption of the US Charter is something we have been working toward for several months. Our experience of the implementation of similar schemes in the UK has demonstrated that voluntary codes of practice such as this Charter have a measurable impact on mobile device related crime, results that we believe can be replicated in the US.”
More details on the requirements for Charter members is available online: www.checkmend.com/us/charter.
CheckMEND is delivered online in real-time and is a cutting-edge analytics tool used to more accurately detect lost and stolen consumer electronics. The database is the most complete listing of devices available, comprised of data from major wireless carriers and law enforcement entities globally.
The CheckMEND service assists everyone from eBay users to mega retailers and recyclers like Gazelle to avoid lost, blocked and stolen devices.
About Recipero
Recipero (www.recipero.com) is trusted by thousands of clients and data providers to securely aggregate, analyze and interrogate data. Forming part of millions of decision making processes and transactions every month, Recipero’s device-led data and analytics solutions are provided online, in real-time, and are used globally by law enforcement, wireless carriers, insurers, recyclers, retailers and consumers.
About Gazelle
Gazelle is the nation’s leading consumer electronics trade-in site, providing an easy, fast and safe way for consumers to get cash for their unwanted devices. For more information on Gazelle and its participation in the CheckMEND Charter, visit: www.gazelle.com