Tip 10 of The 12 Security Tips of Christmas

The tenth tip of our ‘The 12 Security Tips of Christmas’...

“Use a UV pen to mark any valuables so if the worse does happen it may help to make recovery easier.”

Many Police Forces and Home Insurance Providers will advise marking any valuables especially those that are more mobile i.e. a laptop or tablet.  

A burglary info-graphic from Tesco Compare showed that the top 5 most stolen items included...

• Mobile Phones (6%)

• Jewellery and Watches (11%)

• Cameras and MP3 Players (13%)

• Laptops (15%)

• Money (17%)

Marking your valuables will usually deter thieves from stealing them as an item that is clearly marked will be more difficult for a thief to sell and will often reduce the items value (Devon and Cornwall police). It also helps to increase the chance of your property being identified if the worse did happen and it was either lost or stolen.

Norfolk Constabulary recommends the following ways to effectively mark your property:

• Electronic marking – Use property register website Immobilise (https://www.immobilise.com/index.php) to electronically register your valuables details. This helps Police Forces across the UK to identify the owner of any lost or stolen items.

• UV pen marking – Use a UV pen (invisible to the naked eye) to mark your valuables ideally write your postcode, house number or house name. Usually stickers are supplied with any UV pens which indicate that the valuables are marked; these can deter a burglar from stealing your property in the first place.

(Image source)

• Photography – Taking detailed photos of your valuables will help to prove they are yours if they are stolen.

• Permanent Marker Pen/Paint – This is recommended for marking large items such as machinery, garden equipment and tools.

• Postcode Stencil – This is literally a stencil of your postcode, which is applied with paste and etches your details onto your valuables.

• DNA Technology - There are several products available that use DNA technology to mark valuables. They contain microdots with unique reference numbers that are linked to your home. These are detected with a UV light and the information is then obtained from the microdots.

• Inventories – Inventory all of your valuable items either by listing them, taking photographs or videos.

Tip 5 of The 12 Security Tips of Christmas

The fifth tip of our ‘The 12 Security Tips of Christmas’...

“Remember the Grinch who stole Christmas...never ever ever leave any presents or valuables where they can be seen by a burglar i.e. in view of a window!”

(image source)

The majority of insurance providers will advise that you keep any valuables out of sight. According to Aviva you should be aware of any ‘top pickings’ for burglars; “consoles, games and DVDs make up 62% of belongings stolen”, “other favourites include cameras, computers, mobile phones, MP3 players and jewellery” (Aviva). 

A burglary infographic from Tesco Compare showed that the top 5 most stolen items included...

·         Mobile Phones (6%)

·         Jewellery and Watches (11%)

·         Cameras and MP3 Players (13%)

·         Laptops (15%)

·         Money (17%)

Many Police Forces across the UK are advising against leaving valuables on view in your home especially presents. Some Police Forces are even using Christmas cards to get this across as you can see from the image below, which basically demonstrates how presents or valuables on show can be window shopping for a burglar. 

(image source)

Tameside Homewatch has urged local residents to not only keep valuables out of sight but also if possible safely lock them away in a drawer or cabinet. 

 So remember don’t leave any valuables on view and don’t make it a happy Christmas for burglars!