Students urged to guard their gadgets

Officers at British Transport say there were more than 5,000 personal property thefts on trains across the south-east region which includes Hampshire, last year. They have now launched a major initiative to reduce crime on the tracks.

And students are being urged to register gadgets such as phones, tablets and laptops on a national database so that if they are stolen and later recovered can be returned to owners.

Detective Inspector Jez Walley said: “As students begin the new term, we want them to protect their property. Many have hi-value laptops, tablets and smartphones, easy pickings for thieves, and there are some simple steps they can take to reduce the chances of them becoming a victim.

“Last year we received over 5,750 reports of theft of personal property from train passengers in London and the South-East. This was a reduction of 10 per cent on 2012, but hand-held gadgets continue to be a prime target for pickpockets and opportunist thieves.”

He had this advice. “Logging gadgets on the National Property Register should be part of every student’s start of term checklist. It greatly improves your chances of getting your property back if you are unfortunate enough to be the victim of theft. The database is used by every police service in the country and can also be checked by lost property offices at railway stations. It’s all done online and is quick, easy and best of all, free,” said DI Walley.

National Union of Students vice president Colum McGuire also urged them to be on their guard.

“Students can be a particular target for thieves, as they know they are likely to be in possession of high value items such as laptops. NUS would advise students to ensure that their belongings are always within sight when travelling and that the most valuable items area kept close to their person.” Students and other travellers who want to register their property on the database should log onto immobolise.co.uk for more details.