Tag Archives: Stolen Property

CheckMEND, Crime, Fraud, Immobilise, Mobile Phones, Recipero

Don’t get hung up with fraud this New Year and check for warning signs when buying a second hand phone

Mobile phone fraud prevention specialist, Recipero, part of the Callcredit Information Group, is urging consumers and retailers to undertake device checks when buying a second hand phone to avoid becoming a victim of fraud during the January sales and beyond.

Recipero’s CheckMEND data* reveals, that the number of device checks made on second hand iPhones has almost doubled in the last four years, highlighting the growth in the size of the second hand phone market and the increased awareness amongst some consumers and retailers of ensuring the legitimacy of second hand phones.

Last January there was a spike in the number of iPhone checks performed via the Recipero CheckMEND service. More than 1.3 million checks took place (more than 400,000 up on the month before) and Callcredit’s analysts are expecting upwards of two million at the start of 2018.

Mark Harman, Managing Director of Recipero, said: “Even though our findings highlight that there has been an increase in second hand iPhone device checks, fraud is prevalent in what is a market for increasingly expensive devices. Latest ONS crime figures, compiled from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, show 401,000 mobile phones were reported as stolen in the 12 month period ending March 2017. It’s important that consumers and retailers take the necessary precautions and check the history of a device.”

The Recipero data also revealed a surge in the number of searches on the CheckMEND database following the introduction of new iPhone models – as it shows the number of device checks being performed increasing by over a third (36.6%)** in the period after a new release.

Mark concluded: “A check on a second hand phone includes a device life history that starts at the point of manufacture, through ownership changes, right up to it being recycled. The device is checked against IMEI, a phone’s unique reference number, loss and theft reports and police crime reports in the US and UK, insurers title information and settled claims.
These checks provide information which will flag up (red) in a CheckMEND report if the device is compromised, helping to protect those purchasing a second hand phone from acquiring a lost or stolen device.”

*Based on CheckMEND UK data of number of checks made on iPhones each month from Jan 2014- Dec 2017 inclusive. Taken from the Recipero database which is part of the Callcredit Information Group.

**Based on the average number of CheckMEND iPhone device checks two months prior to a new iPhone launch and the average for the two months following.

CheckMEND, Crime, eBay, Fraud, Immobilise, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, NMPR, Police, Recipero

Beware of the Mobile Phone Moped Muggers!

Thieves who steal mobile phones straight out of people’s hands as they zoom by on their, often stolen, mopeds are becoming an increasing problem for the public and police.

It’s completely shocking to the person being attacked. Martin Lewis, the money saving expert, who was one of the latest victims can confirm this from his recent attack near Oxford Circus. He tweets about his incident: ‘About 40 minutes ago two men on a moped just rode up on the pavement and snatched my mobile out of my hands. The speed and accuracy was frightening.’ To read more on this attack click here.

Scotland Yard claims that moped muggers are snatching 20 phones an hour and that thieves mainly go for iPhones. If the phone is still switched on then they reset it and sell it on, if not then they will trade it for parts.

If the owner has been astute enough to register their phone on immobilise.com, the National Property Register, they would immediately be able to change the status of the device flagging it as stolen to traders, as well as report it to the Police*. UK Police officers are the ONLY people with authorisation to access the Immobilise database to check the status and ownership of a mobile phone and repatriate it if it is recovered. The Metropolitan Police advise mobile users to activate their phone’s security features when they receive it and to register valuable possessions with immobilise.com for free, pre-loss or theft.

In this increasingly common crime the phone’s owner is often not the only victim. If you are buying a second hand mobile phone, whether that be an iPhone, Samsung, HTC or any other smartphone, then CheckMEND can help you avoid stolen property. An online check costs as little as £1 and will highlight if a phone is blocked, stolen or compromised in someway.  CheckMEND is the most comprehensive device check available helping consumers, traders, recyclers and retailers buy and sell second-hand goods with confidence.

The moral, however of this post is not to give thieves opportunities to steal your possessions or profit from your loss. Try to avoid using your smart phone in public, be cautious, and to be on the safe side always register new phones or mobile devices on immobilise.com.

* Flagging an item as stolen on Immobilise means that information is immediately available to the Police when they conduct searches for it on the Police only NMPR system. In the event of a crime, a report should also be made directly to Police so they are able to investigate it appropriately and request additional details when relevant.

Bicycles, CheckMEND, Crime, Fraud, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, NMPR

Beat the Burglars this Summer

 

Summer is such a great time of year… the sun is shining (well some of the time), the evenings are longer and everyone seems to be in a much better mood. Whether you are breaking up from school, university or just looking forward to that long-awaited summer holiday (like me), we will all be preparing for some fun activities this summer.

As part of that preparation be aware that if you’re leaving your home and worldly possessions unattended, for even a short period of time, make sure it is safe and secure. The last thing you want after all the excitement of the summer holidays is to find that your possessions have been stolen in one of the 2.1 million burglaries that occur in Britain every year!

So, what can we do about it?

Deter burglars

Homes are 5 times more likely to be burgled if they have no security measures, so it is really important that we do as much as possible to deter burglars from targeting our homes. Taking just a few steps can make a huge difference in keeping your home safe.

  • Lock your doors properly. It sounds so simple but most burglars get in through windows and doors that aren’t locked properly or have flimsy mechanisms. Be sure to invest in strong, visible locks.
  • Install an alarm. Nothing puts burglars off more than an alarm going off.
  • Put Immobilise stickers in obvious places such as garden sheds so they are visible to burglars who will know you have listed your property on Immobilise which makes it harder for them to sell it
  • Use timers on your light switches and get a Fake TV 

 Lock Down 

Remember to lock everything up and keep anything of worth out of sight

  • Keep expensive jewellery in a locked safe
  • Keep TV’s and tech equipment out of view of windows
  • If there is someone you trust, ask if they can check on your property for you and take in your post
  • Don’t discuss holiday plans on social media. Burglars are more likely to live in your surrounding neighbourhood and may even be part of your social network.

Register on Immobilise

  • Should you be unfortunate enough to have any possessions stolen, having a list of everything on immobilise provides the Police with the information they need to be able to return your belongings when found.
  • Immobilise offer many products to mark your property which means it is much easier to identify. From UV pens to the infamous ImmobiTAG for bicycles. Click to visit the Immobilise shop. 

 

CheckMEND, Crime, eBay, Fraud, Immobilise, Mobile Phones

How to buy and sell phones and mobile devices online safely

Online shopping has rapidly become the easiest way to buy goods. With only a click of a button or tap of a screen between us and our next purchase, it’s no wonder that 95% of British people buy goods via the internet. According to The Daily Mail, 1 in 4 British people now shop online at least once a week, although this way of shopping is more convenient it does increase our exposure to fraudulent activity.

By this, I mean that although you may feel ‘safe as houses’, sitting at home on your laptop browsing your favourite sites, you can’t be quite as confident that what your buying is completely legitimate. There are more and more scams to be aware of and avoid especially when buying or selling any mobile devices in the second-hand market.

Many great bargains can be found in online auction and classified ad sites, and in turn you can, as a seller, make some money on the items you no longer need. It’s true what they say ‘one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure‘.  However without knowing the seller is reputable, it is very hard to be confident that a device is genuine or compromised. One well established way to put your mind at rest is to purchase a CheckMEND report.

A CheckMEND mobile device check costs as little as £0.99p per device and can help inform your buying decision by reporting on a devices current status and history including if it is blocked, marked as lost or stolen, plus many other important data checks. It’s like getting a clean bill of health when your device comes back clear, a green flag to proceed!

If you are selling an item, it is a great idea to sell it with a CheckMEND history report to build trust with your customers, achieving faster sales and higher prices in the process.

Trade with confidence when buying or selling second-hand goods, run a CheckMEND device check now.

Bicycles, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, NMPR, Uncategorized

The first Immobilise ‘Registration Station’ is here to prevent bicycle crime

South Wales Police and ‘The bike Shed’ in Pontacanna have teamed up for a new initiative to reduce crime in the Cardiff area using The UK National Property Register ‘Immobilise’ to its full potential.

The very first ‘Registration Station’ is now in operation for anyone who purchases a bike or takes it in for repairs or servicing. There is a conveniently set up station in the store where you can register your bike there and then. It’s quick and easy and a perfect solution to encourage people to protect their property.

Registering your bike on immobilise means you are more likely to get your stolen property returned to you. The Police have a direct link via the NMPR to be able to quickly and easily trace the rightful owner of the property and if found stolen can make convictions much faster. According to Cycling UK, a bike is stolen every 90 seconds in Britain. Despite this, only two percent of bike owners bother to register their bike to aid its recovery.

Richard Landsdown, from The Bike Shed, said:

We are delighted and very keen to be kick-starting the initiative in Cardiff and truly believe that this is the most positive anti-bike theft initiative that we have found. Thousands of bikes will be registered with us this year and the Immobilise station is accessible to everybody in store. The more people who register, the harder it will be for bike thieves.

Les Gray, Commercial Director for Immobilise, said:

We are pleased to support this initiative that benefits bike owners and reduces crime. It’s a great example of responsible retailing and pro-active policing – ownership registration within the shop will ensure the quick and easy process is made even more convenient and captured at point of sale or service.

To update your account or register on Immobilise now please go to: www.immobilise.com

Immobilise, Immobilize

Crime free Christmas shopping checklist

christmas-shopping-london-600Christmas is an exciting and hectic time especially when it comes to shopping. Unfortunately, the festive season is also a time of increased crime particularly in busy shopping areas providing rich-pickings for pick pockets and other criminals!

Best practice whilst out shopping

  • Put cash and cards away safely (not in your back pocket) before leaving the till or cash machine. Try not to keep all your valuables in one place, especially your phone – Should your bag be lost/stolen at least you can still call for help!
  • Use debit or credit cards where possible in place of cash, only withdraw what you need so you avoid carrying large amounts.
  • Shield the keypad when typing your PIN when making payments or withdrawing cash. If you see anything suspicious alert the bank or call the police on 101.
  • Don’t make it easy for thieves by hanging bags on chairs. If you’re having a well-earned break keep your bag and shopping in sight.
  • Keep an eye on your phone, be wary of leaving it behind at tills, coffee shops or dropping it. Make sure the IMEI is registered on Immobilise! Simply dial *#06# to get its unique number.
  • Avoid openly wearing expensive jewellery and watches in crowded/public places. Registering them with photographs and descriptions, plus details of any engraving will help identify them as yours.
  • Park vigilantly in an open, well-lit area. Visit parkmark.co.uk for details of approved carparks (Park Mark is a Police Crime Prevention Initiative).
  • If you must store presents in a car make sure they are out of view and that the car is securely locked. Receipts should be stored separately.
  • Be vigilant – As always please remain alert and report suspicious activity to the police on 999 if a crime is in progress, 101 in a non-emergency or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Continue reading Crime free Christmas shopping checklist →

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, ImmobiTag, Lost Property, Mobile Phones, Police, Students

Back to school… With £3.2 billion worth of tech

Schoolimage1When the school gates opened for the new term, its estimated that under 16s’ bags contained over £3.2 billion worth of tech – a staggering average in excess of £270 per school bag*. Such high values intensify issues associated with loss and theft requiring students to be ever more cautious.

To stay safe and secure we recommend …

  • Students shouldn’t leave their smartphones, cameras, iPods and tablets unattended, and when not in use they should be kept secure in a locked bag or locker.
  • Don’t show off expensive devices, especially in public spaces. Children and young teenagers make easy targets for unscrupulous thieves.
  • Ensure gadgets are registered on Immobilise,  recording the make, model,  and any serial codes but most importantly for smartphones the IMEI number – for mobiles just key in *#06#  on the handset to display the IMEI.
  • Bicycles should be kept in the school’s designated areas and secured with a D-lock to an immovable object such as ground mounted loop. Don’t forget to register the bike on Immobilise and consider enhancing the registration with an ImmobiTag RFID tag.

* Statistics sourced from USwitch Survey: USwitch

This post is an extract from our regular email updates that contain other crime prevention tips and topical news along side special offers and discounts on items in our Immobilise property marking and security products. (Go to: https://shop.immobilise.com/)

To subscribe please update the preferences in your Immobilise account: https://www.immobilise.com/login 

CheckMEND, ClaimsCheck, Crime, Immobilise, Immobilize, NMPR, Police, Recipero

SaferGems’ members to benefit from partnership with Recipero’s Crime Reduction Ecosystem

safergems-montage-w250Recipero is pleased to announce its partnership with SaferGems, a service provided by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA).

Focusing initially on jewellery and watch traders, the partnership is set to dramatically improve the benefits of the SaferGems Watch Register service which helps members report and be alerted to lost and stolen items.

The Watch Register is operated by SaferGems, a joint initiative established by the BSIA in partnership with a number of prominent organisations including TH March Insurance Brokers, the National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG) and the British Jewellers’ Association (BJA).

In 2014 alone, over £9m worth of watches was stolen from individuals and jewellery stores, often inadvertently being sold on through the UK’s wide network of pawnbrokers and second-hand jewellery traders. Intelligence gathered by SaferGems shows that watches are among the items of personal property most targeted by thieves, with jewellery shops also frequently targeted by ‘smash and grab’ opportunists and organised gangs.

SaferGems are now entering into partnership with Recipero to improve the operational capabilities of the Watch Register. SaferGems’ Intelligence Officer, Simon Gardner, comments:

Whilst reviewing the operational needs and costs of providing a fast and easily accessible checking service for Watch Register, it became clear that Recipero’s CheckMEND service already provided a very comprehensive service that is well proven in thousands of retail premises nationwide and with a little cooperation could incorporate the Watch Register data that we already hold.

Les Gray, Recipero’s COO said:

We’re delighted to be able to incorporate Watch Register into Recipero’s Crime Reduction Ecosystem. This represents real value to Safer Gems and their members and of course enhances existing cooperation with UK Police.

Steve Jupp Deputy Chief Constable with the Suffolk Police Force adds:

This collaboration is another positive step forward in assisting the Police service to work more effectively with the business industry, to identify and recover stolen property. The register is an easy to use and efficient way for officers to access information; I know it will assist in the conviction of many offenders to come.

SaferGems members will further benefit through discounted use of Recipero’s CheckMEND service. CheckMEND, which forms part of many Police “Safe Seller Scheme” initiatives, enables traders of second-hand items to perform history checks to help mitigate the inherent risks of handling second-hand property.

Simon Gardner concludes:

In the long-term, the Watch Register will help to reduce crimes against the jewellery industry by making it more difficult for thieves to resell stolen watches without getting caught.

Further information

Recipero is the leading data aggregator and innovator in personal possession fraud and theft prevention worldwide.  The “Recipero Crime Reduction Ecosystem” works to protect consumers and businesses through provision of intelligence services. Forming part of millions of decision-making processes and transactions every month, Recipero’s data and intelligence solutions are provided online, in real-time, and are used globally by law enforcement, insurers, recyclers, retailers and consumers. Learn more at: www.recipero.com

The British Security Industry Association is the trade association covering all aspects of the professional security industry in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of UK security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards. For more information see www.bsia.co.uk, email info@bsia.co.uk or telephone 0845 389 3889/020 7484 8728.

The SaferGems team, which has links to all the UK police forces; Co-ordinates data from the trade on incidents and suspicious events; Sends alerts to members of the NAG, the BJA and those insured via T H March; Co-ordinates data across police forces to improve identification and conviction of criminals. Learn more at:  www.safergems.org.uk

Bicycles, Crime, Immobilise, NMPR, Police

Property marking warning for building site burglars

York Police are fighting back against building site burglars – by making valuable tools and plant kit ‘too hot to handle’ with Immobilise.

Following a spate of recent burglaries targeting building sites York Police are taking proactive steps to deter criminals and ensure property is easy to identify.

Officers are attending a building site in Clifford Street, York, today (Tuesday 27 October) to security mark and log all equipment there, ensuring would-be thieves would find it impossible to sell on. The site was recently targeted by burglars, and police are now inviting other building firms in York to get their equipment marked too.

Property on the site will be security marked using dot peen marking, in conjunction with the Hermes recording system to log it on Immobilise, the UK national property register database.

Property marking sessions at other sites are also taking place, and officers are now inviting firms in York to get in touch so their equipment can also be security marked and registered.

PCSO Chris Shearing, of York Police, said:

Getting your property marked – whether it’s plant kit, power tools, bikes or gadgets – is one of the most effective ways to protect it from criminals.

The permanent marking will deter thieves, as it makes it far harder to sell on. It will also be much easier for us to return it to its rightful owner if it is lost or stolen, and could provide vital evidence to secure a prosecution.

Plant kit and power tools on building sites can be worth thousands of pounds, which is why it’s so important to get it security marked and registered. We want the message to go out to would-be burglars that targeting sites in York is simply not worth the risk.

Dot peen marking involves using a tungsten carbide-tipped pin to indent an object with dots to create a visible, permanent unique number. The unique number is entered onto the national Immobilise property register database. The dot peen machines in York were funded by North Yorkshire Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, and Safer York Partnership.

For more information, visit www.northyorkshire.police.uk/whatisdotpeen. Drop-in sessions for members of the public are promoted in the local press and on Twitter with the hashtag #whatisdotpeen, via the local team accounts @snayorkcityeast, @snayorknorth and @snayorkwest.

Any businesses or organisations in York interested in getting their property marked should contact their local police team by dialling 101 and selecting option 2.

CheckMEND, NMPR, Police

BBC One shows CheckMEND helping Cash Converters avoid stolen property

Cashing InBBC One programme “Cashing In”  featured the Recipero CheckMEND solution again last night (05 Aug 2015).

Once again the documentary showed CheckMEND helping Cash Converters avoid stolen property and insurance fraud, providing a great example of how CheckMEND works to identify and target property crime.

Watch it from 47 minutes on BBC iPlayer (available until 03 Sep 2015): www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05p3fbv/cashing-in-episode-3

To learn more about how CheckMEND works with sister services Immobilise and the Police NMPR as part of the Recipero Crime Reduction Ecosystem go to: recipero.com/crime-reduction-ecosystem