Mylander - Issue 86

31 From inside the community Essex Police Over Christmas you may have been lucky enough to have received some rather nice gifts. Have you got rid of the packaging yet? Left by the roadside for the recycling collection - what better advert to the thief of where to find some new things to steal. Where possible fold the boxes inside out, or tear the box up, or package it in something else, or take it to the recycling centre yourself. Howmany of us have thought about recording the serial numbers or property marking it. Be it a cycle, electrical goods, garden equipment or mobile phone it may have a serial number. You can record your serial numbers free or charge at www.immobilise.com and others. There are also a number of property marking products available like indelible pens, UV marking pens, SelectaDNA, SmartWater, CRE mark by CRE products to name but a few (check suitability for the property item). With jewellery and antiques don’t forget to take photographs of it, include an “Object ID card” or ruler in a photograph to give it a scale. Some of these property marking products may also be suitable and you can now upload photographs of your property to Immobilise too. Many TV’s, personal music devices, computers and other electronics come pre-loaded with security and/or tracking software, make sure that it is activated. If you are storing valuable college work or other on a laptop don’t forget to back up your work elsewhere just in case you lose the laptop. Smart phones: Don’t forget to make a note of the IMEI number of a mobile phone, to find it key in *#06#, with this if it’s stolen you can block it. You can download an “App” on mobile phones to find your phone and more importantly wipe that data stored on it, check your “App store” or mobile phone provider. A little reminder—when texting or talking on phones, or listening to music remain “in touch” with your surroundings, a number of road accidents, thefts and assaults occur when we fail to note what’s going on around us, don’t forget to pass this advice on to children. For further crime prevention advice CLICK HERE and for suitable security products VISIT Secured by Design or VISIT Sold Secure