People who received new mobile phones, laptops, bikes, sat navs and TVs are being reminded by Ashfield Community Safety Partnership and Mansfield Partnership Against Crime to make sure they take actions to keep these items safe.
They say if you were lucky enough to get a mobile phone for Christmas there are several ways in which you can help protect it. The first thing to do is record the unique IMEI number found on it. It is usually printed under the phone battery, or can be accessed by keying *#06# into most phones. If a mobile phone is stolen, the IMEI number helps the mobile service provider block it.
Next step is to register the phone at www.immobilise.com This enables police to return stolen phones and any other property they find that you include on this free of charge register.
Another action that is useful for a whole range of items including your phone the Partnerships recommend is writing your postcode on it with a UV pen. You can buy these at a range of places including online at amazon.com for less than £2.
One pen will easily cover everything from your TVs and PCs to games consoles and cameras. Use stickers at your home to say items are security marked and it can help prevent thefts.
Sat navs are among the items most frequently stolen from vehicles and police figures show there has been an increased in this type of offence in the area in recent weeks.
The Partnerships say that the most obvious way to prevent theft of these highly desirable and re-saleable items is to remove them from the vehicle when you are not in it. Certainly don't leave them or their holders on view.
Keep a duster in the glove compartment to wipe the marks they often leave on windscreens – the marks are a tell-tale sign to potential offenders that there may be one in the vehicle, even if it cannot be seen.
Hopefully if a cycle was a Christmas gift for you, included with it were some lights and a helmet. If not you should invest in these vital pieces of equipment. These will help keep you as the rider safe.
In terms of keeping the bike itself safe, the Partnerships say make sure if you leave it that it is secured with a bike lock and if you store it in a shed at home make sure the shed is secure.
Commenting on the advice, Marsha Mann, Community Safety Officer for Ashfield and Mansfield said: "We want people to continue enjoying their Christmas gifts and so we have put together these simple tips to help people keep their new belongings safe.
"As
the year progresses we may run projects that help people with some of these,
but taking actions like marking new household items with a UV pen is a good and
inexpensive habit for people to get into themselves. Make it a resolution for
2013!