Keeping your property safe

Property

Whether you're living in student halls of residence or a shared house in the nearby town, there are simple measures you can take to keep yourself and your property safe:

• Keep your doors and windows locked wherever you're out
• Be mindful of tailgaters following you into your building
• Keep high value items such as tablets and laptops out of sight and, where possible, secure them if you're not using them
• Depending on its value, consider marking your property 
• If you have a bike, make sure it is secured using a lock with an SBD logo or marked “Gold Secure”
• Lock it as close to the stand as possible - making sure both the frame and wheels are secure and keep any locks off the ground

Registering/marking your valuables

We recommend that you mark and register your property using a secured By Design Approved property marking solution and advertise the fact using window stickers.

You can register your property for free using Immobilise, which adds it to a national database.

You can also use Bike Register to register your bike in case it is stolen.

Our local Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) carry out bike marking and property marking events too.

You can find out who's in your local team and follow them on social media to see if they have anything coming up.

Online safety 

The internet and social networking sites are great for connecting with other people.

However, it is important to think carefully about what you're posting, and who has access to it.

• Never disclose private information such as your phone number or address to others or on online sites
• If you arrange to meet someone in person that you have met online make sure you meet in a populated public space. Do not accept lifts from the person you are meeting. Tell a friend or family member where you are going and what time you expect to return
• Do not send compromising or explicit images or videos irrespective of what is sent to you. It may be a scam
• When using social networks be aware that much of the information becomes public by default and is easy to search for
• Avoid posting personal details or anything that could be used to steal your identity
• Assess your privacy settings on your social networking sites so that only friends can see your personal information

Visit our Staying safe online pages for further information and guidance.

Mobile phone security

Keep your phone locked at all times - Lock screen with passcode, pattern, fingerprint or facial recognition. Lock when idle for 30 seconds to one minute.

Set secure passwords - Set strong passwords with uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers. Set a different password for each app.

Keep your device updated - Make sure that your device is updated with the latest software. Here’s how:

• IOS > General > software update
• Android > about phone > system update

Connect to secure wifi - Beware of networks that aren't password protected and use a VPN.

Beware of downloads - Use verified app stores. Look at app reviews, recent updates and contact information.

Encrypt your data - Your smartphone holds a lot of data. If it is lost or stolen your emails, contacts, financial information and more can be at risk. To protect your mobile phone data:

• Install anti-virus software - This can protect against viruses, malware and hackers
• Don’t jailbreak or root your phone - This is when you unlock your phone and remove safety features making it less secure and easy to hack.
• Enable apps to find and track mobile phones

Visit www.cyberstreetwise.com or www.getsafeonline.org for more information about staying safe while using your Apple or Android device.

You can also visit our Staying safe online pages.

Socialising

It’s important to have fun, but don’t forget to look after yourself and others:

• Never accept drinks from strangers
• Don’t leave your drink unattended
• Always alternate alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks
• Know your drinking limits. Alcohol lowers your guard and may affect your judgement and decision making
• Stay with your group of friends and look out for each other
• Plan your journey in advance, including the journey home. Try to travel with other people you know if possible
• Make sure you have extra money in case you get stranded or miss the last bus or train
• Avoid shortcuts and isolated areas
• Stay away from confrontational situations

Visit our Stay safe while you're out pages for more tips and guidance.

Further advice and guidance

Visit our Crime prevention and advice pages for more tips to keep yourself and your property safe.