Hertfordshire Constabulary is encouraging people to look after the gifts they received for Christmas or valuable items bought in the January sales, by property marking and registering them online.
Whilst people are enjoying their new phones, bikes, laptops and other valuables, police are reminding them of the importance of protecting these new possessions from theft. One way to do this is to register items online via www.immobilise.com, a free property registering site, which helps police trace the owners of recovered items.
Most smart phones have extra security applications available. Tracking 'apps' are available from your phone's application store and can help to locate lost phones or help police recover stolen phones, by tracking its GPS signal.

These are some of the ways you can protect your valuable mobile devices:
• Download a phone tracking ‘app’ for your make of smart phone or tablet computer.
• Make sure your phone is locked when not in use as tracking apps can be deactivated by thieves if the phone is not locked.
• Try not to use your phone, tablet or laptop in very crowded places where it could be snatched.
• Keep it with you at all times - and ALWAYS remove it from your vehicle when unattended. Thieves are opportunistic and won’t hesitate to try their luck with your car, leaving you with the cost and inconvenience of replacing your phone or computer and potentially a broken car window.
• Register your phone with your network provider and
• Record the IMEI number and your phone number and keep these in a safe place separate from your phone. Your IMEI number (15 digit serial number) can be accessed by keying *#06# into most phones or by looking behind the battery of your phone. This could help reunite a stolen device.
• Report a stolen phone to police and your network provider immediately. Your network can bar calls from a stolen phone as long as it's been registered.

If your phone or any other item is stolen you should report it by calling 101 (using 999 if you think the thief is still nearby). If it has a tracking application installed it may be possible for police to locate a smartphone or tablet and recover it - if you report it quickly enough and can provide your account log in details.
For more advice, including how to protect your jewellery, bikes and other valuables, visit:  www.herts.police.uk (Crime Prevention section).

Inspector Paul Lawrence, from the Crime Prevention Unit, said: “Every year police recover hundreds of valuable items but cannot trace the rightful owners. Registering or marking items can really help us to reunite owners with stolen or lost possessions.”
“It can also serve as a deterrent to thieves, who won’t want to be caught carrying property that is easily identified by police as not belonging to them, and can help police to identify suspects as part of their investigations. Smart phones tracking applications are also a great way to recover lost or stolen devices, many tablet computers have similar software.”