Skegness people offered advice on how to prevent their mobile phone from being stolen

LINCOLNSHIRE Police is appealing to Skegness people to take some simple steps to avoid becoming victims of theft and robbery, particularly in relation to mobile phones.

Sgt Caroline Broughton from the Community Safety Department stated ,"Everyone can help in reducing the number of mobile phones that are stolen by just taking a few simple steps".

We are advising everyone just to follow these simple steps:

* Never leave your bags or other valuables unattended in public places.

* Take particular care of your phone at bars, cafes, coffee-shops, restaurants and music venues - thieves have targeted these venues.

* Be discreet with your phone and where you use it – don't attract unwanted attention. Just be aware of your surroundings when making a call in public places; keep calls as brief as possible, as the longer you talk, the more likely you are to be spotted by a potential thief.

* Don't walk and text at the same time, you will be less aware of what is happening around you.

* Record your IMEI number *#06#

* Further advice can be found at the National Mobile Phone Crime unit www.nmpcu.police.uk

Police are also suggesting that people make the most of their smart phones to ensure their property is secure. New technology means modern phones can download applications to trace or track the owner's phone via GPS. An example is the free "Find My iPhone" app from Apple, a GPS tracking system which can trace a mobile phone if it's lost or stolen. Check with your manufacturer for further advice. Useful information and free tracking software can be found at www.preyproject.com

Mobile phones can also be logged using your IMEI on www.immobilise.com along with any other precious belongings. The site is free to register and helps to combat the sale of stolen items. Its database is linked directly to police systems, so when officers recover any property, for whatever reason, they can check it against logged items and return them to their rightful owners.

Any item can be registered on immobilise. The easiest items to log are electricals, or anything that has a serial number, but you can even log jewellery or ornamental items using the photo upload and description functions. You can register as many items as you like, and then if they are lost or stolen you simply log back on to register them as such.

* Further advice can be sought through your local Policing team, details can be found at www.lincs.police.uk