Student safety
Home Office student survival guide
Students Stay Safe - protect yourself and your property
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is home to a large student population at universities and colleges across the county.
Leicestershire Constabulary is urging students, many who will be away from home for the first time, to ‘think crime prevention’.
Figures from the Home Office show that 1 in 3 students become the victim of a crime each year at university, but in the majority of cases, these crimes can be avoided by taking some simple steps to protect yourself and your property.
Out and about
When you’re out and about, particularly at night, be aware of your surroundings and take notice of those around you. Walk with confidence and in small groups where possible. If walking home alone is unavoidable, consider getting hold of a personal attack alarm – they are widely available and inexpensive.
Thieves are always on the lookout for easy targets so try and make it as difficult for them as possible. Keep bags closed and wallets, money and valuables out of sight. Laptops are particularly tempting for thieves – carry them in an anonymous bag, rather than a laptop bag, and try not to take them out in public.
Mobile ‘phones are great for staying in touch with friends and family and can be used to report crimes or alert the police to incidents, however, they are also attractive items to potential thieves. Avoid making or taking calls in public, especially when walking and remember that it’s often difficult to stay alert to what’s going on around you when using a mobile ‘phone making you vulnerable to thieves.
Your property
Students coming to university or college often bring with them many items that are appealing to thieves. It costs students, on average, £900 to replace stolen items and repair the damage after a burglary. Televisions, stereos, computers, games consoles, DVDs, CDs, bikes and mobile ‘phones are all potential targets if the right steps aren’t taken to secure them.
Ensure that valuable items cannot be seen through windows from outside and when going out make sure doors are locked and windows are shut – even if you’re only gone for a short time. In many cases it takes a burglar just minutes to break in, steal property and leave.
If your laptop was stolen, how many weeks worth of work would be lost? Keep laptops out of sight and ensure that you back up work regularly and store the disks separately.
If you have a burglar alarm, use it – this is often enough to deter thieves and consider investing in timer switches for lights giving the impression that someone’s in when you’re out. If you live in halls, lock your door even if you’re popping down the corridor and make sure nobody follows you in when you walk through main entrances.
Consider taking out contents insurance to cover your valuables – policies are very cheap in comparison with the cost to replace expensive items. Make a list of all your valuable items - this form will help – and mark your valuables with your university or college name and your student ID number using an ultraviolet pen. If you become the victim of a burglary, stolen property that is marked can be returned to the rightful owner if it is recovered by police.
Bikes can be great to get around on and can help keep you fit but you’ll have to resort to walking and join a gym if you don’t take steps to secure your bike when leaving it unattended. Invest in a good bike lock, they are relatively inexpensive - D locks or combination locks are best - look for ‘Sold Secure Ltd’ approved models or ask at a bicycle shop for a recommendation.
When leaving your bike unattended, make sure you lock it to something secure and immovable and take removable parts (saddle, quick-release wheels, lights etc.) with you or lock them to the bike.
Mobile ‘phones
Reduce the risk of becoming a victim of mobile ‘phone theft by avoiding making or taking calls in busy areas and keep it hidden when out and about. Register your phone with your service provider. If you report your phone as stolen, the SIM card can then be barred.
Make a note of the 15-digit serial / IMEI number. You can get this by dialling *#06# from your mobile phone or may be found behind the battery on some phones. This number will help identity your phone and trace ownership quickly. If your phone is stolen, call your network (or 08701 123 123) immediately.
When withdrawing money from cashpoints stay alert to your surrounding, when entering your PIN, make sure there is nobody standing nearby who could see what you’re typing and never keep your card and PIN together. Report any suspicious activity near cash machines to the bank or the police.
