Major venues support Notts Police's 'keep your stuff safe' messaging
The force have thanked the Victoria Centre and Motorpoint Arena for donating advertising space - and say it's helping in the fight against mobile thefts
Nottinghamshire Police say their messaging is reaching 'thousands of people every day', thanks to two major venues donating advertising space for the force to use amid one of their latest campaigns.
Victoria Centre and Motorpoint Arena have donated the space to help officers spread the advice to 'Keep your stuff safe' amid a hike in the number of mobile phone thefts in the region.
The venues were approached by the force's City Centre neighbourhood team who - back in January - launched 'Operation Cloud' to help tackle the rise in mobile thefts at locations including at fast-food outlets and in coffee shops.
A number of initiatives were launched as part of the proactive operation, including a mix of plain-clothed, high-visibility patrols, and through the distribution of crime prevention postcards and posters.
To help spread the message further, bosses at Victoria Centre and Motorpoint Arena agreed to display the crime prevention messaging on giant screens at both venues without charge.
Sergeant Paul Whitehead, of the City Centre neighbourhood policing team, said: “We are extremely grateful to both venues for supporting this important campaign.
“It appears to be having the desired effect as reports of mobile phone distraction thefts have fallen in recent weeks.
“We recently went from 13 reports in three weeks, to just one report in 10 days.
“We will continue to work with our partners to tackle crime and make Nottingham an even safer place to live, work and visit."
Nigel Wheatley, centre director at Victoria Centre, said: “We’re pleased to be playing a part in Nottinghamshire Police’s latest initiative seeking to combat distraction thefts across the city.
"As a public venue, the safety of our shoppers, staff and retailers is always our number one priority and, as such, we’re regularly reviewing ways in which we can ensure the centre remains a safe and comfortable place for shoppers to visit.
“It’s encouraging to hear that the initiative is already having a positive impact across the city, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Nottinghamshire Police team in the future.”
Both Victoria Centre and Motorpoint Arena are also supporting other crime prevention campaigns, including Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWAG).
Sam Hodkin, Head of Security at Motorpoint Arena, said: “The safety of visitors at our venue is of paramount importance. We will continue to engage with Nottinghamshire Police to ensure that we are doing everything possible to deter criminal activity at Motorpoint Arena Nottingham.”
The postcards and posters that have been distributed across the city centre encourage people to “keep you stuff safe, don’t give anyone the opportunity”.
What Nottinghamshire Police remind everyone to do
On the back of the postcards which they have distributed amid this campaign, a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ is provided:
- Don't leave your things unattended
- Don't write PIN numbers down
- Don't make it easy for thieves
- Do only carry the cash you need
- Do use a PIN or pattern code on your phone for security
- Do carry anything valuable in the inside pockets of clothing or bags
- Do track your phone using software such as 'Find my iPhone' or 'PREY'
For more crime prevention advice, visit the Nottinghamshire Police website.