A-Z of Crime Prevention: ZIP YOUR BAG - THEFT FROM PERSON

Good afternoon Resident

I hope you have had a pleasant weekend. It was only a few weeks ago that we welcomed the sunny days but I think most of us have had enough of the hot weather. I do hope you are all keeping cool, safe, and hydrated and rest assured, emergency service responders are continuing to work around the clock to respond to incidents around Hertfordshire. Welcome to the 26th and final instalment of the A-Z of Crime Prevention Newsletter. This week, I want to focus on Theft of Person and a crucial bit of crime prevention advice, zip your bags! 

Theft from Person offences and Personal Robbery offences often increase during the Summer months due to more people being out in town centres without pockets or suitable bags to carry their belongings. Though St Albans District is not affected by Phone Robberies to the extent we are seeing in London, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind residents to be vigilant when out in crowded spaces, in shops, on public transport, or carrying valuable items. Here are the best ways to protect yourself from being victimised by pickpocket thieves: 

One tactic we have seen during investigation in St Albans City Centre, for example, are the pickpockets being overly friendly with their victims, getting close up into their personal space while their accomplice steals from your bag or back pocket. Another incident we have seen in St Albans City Centre involved the victim being sprayed with mustard on his back, and two other males offering to “help” take his jacket off (all with the intention of stealing from him). Always remain cautious when speaking to strangers.

Typical behaviours of pickpockets include loitering in public spaces, ATMs or shop entrance porches. You may notice people who fixate on passers-by, particularly their bags or purses. Pickpockets will usually focus on people who are standing still, for example those who are browsing the Market Stalls or products in a shop.  If you come across a suspicious incident like this, consider reporting on 101 or 999 (depending on the urgency). 

If you have any concerns about Theft, please do let us know by Replying to this message or completing the below survey. Likewise, you can rate how useful this message was by clicking the Thumbs Up/Down button below.

Thank you for following along with this Crime Prevention Newsletter for the last 6 months. I will be sending out a round-up next week of all the topics covered in case anyone who is new to Herts Connected missed a week and would like more information from us. 

All the best

Fiona