SMART SCHOOLS

Schools across Dumfries and Galloway have taken on a new tool to outsmart the thieves.  SMARTWATER, a protective marking system which comes in a liquid-based solution is used to link a criminal to a crime scene.  It works through the use of a forensically-unique liquid, like a fingerprint, and it is used to mark equipment and property in homes, offices, shops, or in this case schools.

The use of SMARTWATER is registered and details are kept on a database for identification purposes.  Should property be stolen from a school and subsequently recovered, if checked and found to be marked with SMARTWATER, it can be tested and the school identified.

SMARTWATER can also be used in a spray as part of an intruder alarm system and sprayed directly onto an intruder without them even knowing this has happened.  All police custody suites across the region are now fitted with equipment which can identify the presence of SMARTWATER on someone who is being taken into custody.  Again, if someone tests positive, SMARTWATER will identify which school the intruder has violated.

The solution is not harmful and stays on the skin until exfoliation occurs, and is virtually impossible to remove from clothing or shoes.

Crime Reduction Officer Derek Hughes of Dumfries says that “the introduction of SMARTWATER into all schools in Dumfries and Galloway is another step towards protecting some of our most valuable buildings in the region.  As we enter the summer school breaks, when the buildings are empty for a long period of time, it gives added protection to the building and the contents.  Thieves coming into our custody anywhere in the force are routinely checked for the presence of SMARTWATER and if found, we will be able to find out which school, or other building they have broken into”.                                

BICYCLE SECURITY

Police are urging bicycle owners to securely fasten their bikes after forty bike thefts in Dumfries since the start of the year.

Summer has arrived and chances are that you or a friend or family member will be out and about enjoying the various cycle paths and taking in the fabulous scenic routes Dumfries and Galloway offers. This however increases the desirability of bicycles to thieves. Recently there has been a spate of bicycles stolen in Dumfries, almost of which have been as a result of the bike being left unattended and insecure.

Crime Reduction Officer Derek Hughes from Community Safety said: “Some modern bicycles can be fairly expensive and thieves will take any opportunity to exploit that. We are reminding the public there can be a number of common sense measures that can reduce the chances of being a victim of crime.

• Do not leave your bicycle in isolated places.

   

• Always lock your bicycle when you leave it. Failure to do so will most likely invalidate any insurance cover.

   

• Where possible, lock your bicycle to something solid like a lamp post or railings.

   

• If your wheels are easily removed, remove the front wheel and lock it to the frame and back wheel.

   

• Take a photograph and a description of your bike.

   

• Do not leave your bike lying about!

   

“Even in the safest community, we would advise against leaving your bicycle outside your home or in your garden, unless it is a secured with a bicycle lock.

“Pedal cycles can be of high value, and are easily sold on or often dissembled for parts. If you wish to have your bicycle post-coded, please contact your local police station on 0845 600 5701.”

BE ALERT TO MACHINERY THEFTS

Police are urging you to secure your vehicles and other machinery this summer.

While Dumfries and Galloway is enjoying low crime rates officers are doing their best to make sure this continues and the national problem of vehicle crime does not hit this region. It is a rural area so it can be sometimes subject to thefts from farm or rural properties. Furthermore it is not immune from the more urban crimes such as domestic car crime.

From time to time a region can be targeted by teams of thieves from elsewhere in the UK. Such thieves often visit a property in advance, and if challenged give an apparently innocent reason for their presence.

To prevent this police officers in the region are stepping up patrols during the summer months. Police are also warning farmers and other members of the public to pay particular attention to their plant and machinery security. Farm or even residential vehicles can be high value and securing them should be considered to prevent any thefts from farms, building sites and industrial premises.

Identify your property by:

• Keeping a record of the serial number, chassis and model numbers of machines.

   

• Use metal engravers to mark tools and equipment with your postcode followed by the first two letters of your farm's name.

   

• Consider physical crime prevention measures for all machinery and vehicles.

   

• There are a number of products on the market which would deter persons from stealing such vehicles, ie Data tag, Quadloc, Smartwater, etc.

   

• Always keep tools and small pieces of machinery locked away. Do not leave them lying about.

   

From a police point of view it is disappointing when officers are called to thefts plant, machinery and other vehicles and quickly learn how easy it has been for the thieves.

Members of the community are urged to take the opportunity to contact us and ask for a visit from their local crime prevention officers for a free security survey. It may just save you hundreds or thousands of pounds and stop you becoming a victim of theft.

Inspector Alan Cook of Dumfries Division Community Policing Unit said: “We are lucky that Dumfries and Galloway has a relatively low crime rate compared to other areas, however the area has at times been a target for travelling criminals who come to the area and commit crime.

“We are advising members of the public not to be complacent and insure that they secure all items of plant, machinery or vehicles that they own or use. These are all very valuable commodities and should be treated as such. Crimes of this nature are on the increase throughout the country and we would urge people to take all appropriate steps to ensure their property is adequately secured.

“Plant, Machinery and Vehicles are a valuable part of modern day life. However they are also a valuable commodity to thieves and it is therefore important that our community take relevant measures to secure their vehicles and machinery properly.”

“There have also been incidents throughout the force area of vehicle number plates being stolen from parked and unattended vehicle’s, the main reason for this type of theft is in order to fit the plates to another vehicle  that has either been or is about to be stolen. Members of the public are urged to be extra vigilant and report any suspicious incidents immediately to Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary on 0845 600 5701.

BLUE BADGE HOLDERS

Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary are reminding blue badge holders of the need to ensure that their blue badges are checked regularly to make sure that they have not expired, and that the expiry date is still visible when displayed in their vehicle.

Sergeant Rory Caldow of the Community Policing Unit in Dumfries said: “There have been an unusually high number of blue badge holders receiving fixed penalty tickets in recent weeks. “On examination it appears that many of the badges had either expired or the date of

expiry had faded in the sun. “I’m looking to remind blue badge holders that it is their responsibility that their blue badge is valid. Previously, Social Services used to write to badge holders to remind them to renew badges, however due to the number of badges in circulation, this

became unmanageable. “Badge holders should regularly check to make sure that the expiry date is readable, and that the badge has not expired. If they don’t they may find themselves in receipt of a £30 fixed penalty ticket if they use their badge for parking. “Members of the public can obtain replacement badges from the local Social Services office where their badge was originally issued.”

23.03.09