Mission RCMP are reaching out to the community to help reduce property crime by utilizing their cell phones in a simple way.
Staff Sgt. Rob Dixon explained, all too often police investigate incidences of theft when the victim has a limited description and no record of a serial number for the stolen items.
This lack of information can hamper police as they are unable to properly identify stolen property they encounter in the course of their duties, leading to lost opportunities for prosecution and even worse not being able to seize and return property to the rightful owners.
“We are asking members of the public to take out their cell phones and take some pictures of all the property that is important to them,” said Dixon.
“As an example, if you own a bicycle take a moment to take a picture of it, then flip it over and take another picture of the serial number. This way if you are the unfortunate victim of a theft you will be able to provide us with the best possible information to conduct our investigation, also improving your odds of getting your property back,” he added.
The opportunities to use your cell phone to record items and their serial numbers or distinctive characteristics are endless.
Other examples include taking detailed pictures of jewelery, golf clubs, gaming systems, television sets, tools, etc. In addition, you can video tape all the spaces and contents of your home for insurance purposes, record important pieces of personal identification, and luggage contents when traveling in the event of loss, damage, etc.
Police are just starting to get this message out and will be working with the Crime Prevention Office to get the public on board.