Heating Oil Theft:

Police are urging all those who store heating oil to be extra vigilant. This includes businesses, schools, churches, farms and residential properties.
In order to reduce the risk of your fuel being stolen, please consider the following security measures: 

• Keep your yard or drive gates closed and locked. Ensure gates and fences are in good repair.
• Consider installing CCTV and security lighting.
• Make sure your tank is within sight of your home or office but difficult to spot by potential offenders.
• Restrict access by planting thorny shrubs around your tank. Thieves will think twice before forcing their way through a prickly hedge, and the smallest trace of blood or shred of clothing can provide enough forensic evidence to identify the offender.
• Lock away tools so they cannot be used to access your tank.

Protect Your Valuables and Secure Your Home:

• Lock windows and doors before you go out or go to bed
• Avoid leaving keys and valuables on display near doors or windows
• Store bins and equipment carefully so they can’t be used as climbing aids
• Use timer switches to turn lights on and off if you go away, to give the illusion that someone is home
• Consider fitting intruder alarms, door chains, a spy hole and external lights
• Dispose of packaging carefully – wrapping and boxes advertise rich pickings for criminals
• Security mark valuable items and keep receipts somewhere safe
• Always check the ID of cold callers – a door chain or spy hole will help you do this without letting anyone into your home.

Help Prevent Vehicle Crime:

Vehicle crime often happens when people leave their belongings on display for others to see. Remember, it only takes a few seconds for a thief to break in to your car or vehicle and steal your property. Follow these simple guidelines to reduce the risk of you becoming a victim of this type of crime:

• Remove all valuables including portable sat nav systems, mobile phones and laptops, even if you’re only away from your vehicle for a few minutes
• Clean suction marks from your windscreen if using a portable sat nav – these show a potential thief that it might still be inside
• Don’t hide valuables in the boot or glove compartment as these are the first places a thief will look
• Thieves steal number plates to use in other crimes, you can fit tamper proof number plate screws to help prevent this.

Has anyone tried to sell you a second-hand sat nav system or other electronic equipment in unusual circumstances? If so, contact your local police station or call 101 and report what has happened.

Shed and Garage Security:

• Keep garages or sheds locked when not in use
• Consider fitting security alarms and external lights where possible
• Security mark valuable items and keep receipts somewhere safe
• Lock away tools or equipment that could be stolen or used to break in to your property
• Dispose of packaging carefully – wrapping and boxes can advertise rich pickings for criminals.

Immobilise

Immobilise is the world’s largest FREE register of possession ownership details and together with its sister sites the Police’sNMPR and CheckMEND, forms a very effective tool in helping to reduce crime and repatriate recovered personal property to its rightful owners.

Immobilise can be used by members of the public and businesses to register their valued possessions or company assets, and exclusive to Immobilise all account holders registered items and ownership details are viewable on the Police national property database the NMPR.

This online checking service is used thousands of times each day by UK Police forces to trace owners of lost and stolen property.
As a direct result of Immobilise there are hundreds of cases a week where property is returned or information collected that assists the Police in investigating criminal activity involving stolen goods.
Immobilise is also the only ownership registration service supported by all UK Police forces, the Greater London Authority, and the Mobile Phone Industry.

Benefits of Registration

• Immobilise helps Police identify the owners of recovered property thousands of times everyday.
• Property updates you make are immediately available to the Police nationally.
• Combat the sale of stolen gadgets & valuables; alert the second-hand trade & publicly checkable stolen goods database CheckMENDif an item goes missing.
• Simplify insurance claims and Police reports with certificates of ownership.
• Great member offers from Immobilise’s numerous supporters, often helping support the FREE provision of Immobilise.
• If you need to obtain a Loss Report Number for insurance purposes please visit the Report My Loss page of the website.