Police are warning of a predicted rise in Asian gold street robberies as the weather heats up and more people head out with expensive jewellery on show.
The warmer temperatures are expected to contribute to a rise in offences, with necklaces and bangles more visible, rather than being hidden away under heavy coats and scarves Officers are therefore stressing the importance of wearing jewellery discreetly.
The anticipated rise comes against a backdrop of a reduction in offences and several tactics are being used, such as targeted patrols, undercover operations and the robust management of known offenders, to prevent any increase.
Meanwhile, local neighbourhood teams are working in their areas to issue crime prevention advice to members of the Asian community − specifically women, who are often targeted.
Leaflets are being distributed in English, Punjabi and Urdu to ensure the warning gets out to as many vulnerable people as possible, in the best possible way.
Our Advice is to;
* Be discreet on the street.
* Keep jewellery and other valuables out of sight in public.
* Hide Jewellery underneath clothing or leave it at home – this prevents a thief from attempting to snatch it
* Stay alert and look after one another. Tell friends and family where you are going and how long you are going to be
* Carry a personal attack alarm to activate if you feel threatened
* Never allow a stranger to try on your jewellery or to place jewellery on you – this distraction technique is used to steal genuine jewellery
* Report suspicious behaviour to police on 101
* Or to crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.
* Remember dial 999 if you are in danger!
At home:
* Photograph your jewellery on a plain background with a ruler next to it to give an idea of size to help in its recovery or for insurance purposes
* Keep an inventory of your jewellery. This can be done in a paper version or online at www.immobilise.com. Include identifying marks, images, value and the purchase date
* Use forensic marking – information on security products can be found on www.securebydesign.com
* Keep jewellery and other valuables in a safety deposit box. If you prefer to keep jewellery at home, invest in a suitable safe that is installed to manufacturer’s instructions.
* Your insurance company will provide advice as to which type and grade of safe best suits your needs. They will also advise whether your home insurance provides sufficient cover to high value jewellery.
* Keep windows and door locked at all times, even when your home.
* Store them securely at home in a suitable safe or safety deposit box at your bank instead.
We’re doing all we can to stop Asian gold thieves in their tracks and with data from previous years suggesting this anticipated rise, we’ll be putting a range of plans in place to try and stop the same thing happening again this summer.
For more information, check out our video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBnNrlqueTI
