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Lessons in safety
More than 10,000 university students in Hull are being urged to follow some practical steps to stay safe from crime.
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Criminals are not welcome here: A total of 1,296 students received crime prevention advice |
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The bus above is used as part of Hull Citysafe Community Action Weeks, visiting neighbourhoods and providing a base from where crime reduction advice can be given to local residents |
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Pc Rebecca Fox |
If you're a student in Hull, you've made an excellent choice for a place to study, but don't let one of the best times of your life be spoiled by falling victim to crime.
That was the message at a two-day crime reduction event at the University of Hull student union.
The event brought together representatives from 15 different agencies in Hull including officers from the NHS, Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue, Hull City Council, Crimestoppers, Victim Support, and Hull Community Wardens.
The agencies set up stalls and spoke with students while handing out information booklets and crime reduction devices such as Smartwater kits, which can be used to mark your valuables to aid the recovery of property after a theft or burglary.
"The students really made the most of it," says PC Rebecca Fox, a community participation officer with Hull Citysafe, the local crime-fighting partnership.
"We spoke directly to 1,296 students and thousands more will have seen our posters or picked up booklets and leaflets to find out what was going on." "They appreciated the fact that we were making the effort to go out and speak to them in their meeting place on campus."
Cracking crime together
Some of the achievements of the event were as follows:
- 150 personal attack alarms, 105 Smartwater kits, and six steering wheel locks were given out.
- Humberside Fire and Rescue officers spoke to 52 students regarding fire safety in the home.
- More than 30 students took away recruitment packs on how to become Humberside Police Special Constables.
- 60 booklets on ways to prevent identity fraud were given out by Crimestoppers.
- 158 students spoke to representatives of Victim Support about their experiences of crime in Hull.
- Hull City Council's antisocial behaviour team gave advice to 246 students about dealing with nuisance neighbours and other neighbourhood disputes.
- The event also included healthy living advice from NHS health trainers who advised 75 students about stopping smoking, eating healthily, and looking after their sexual health.
More to follow
More crime fighting advice is being given out during Hull Citysafe Community Action Weeks which are taking place in areas across Hull throughout this year.
Similar to the student event, the action weeks are a chance for residents to engage with representatives from a wide range of agencies and gain advice on everything from crime-prevention to healthy living.
Representatives from a number of Hull City Council services will also be involved, including street scene and waste management.
"We choose an area of around 1,000 properties to work in during an action week," says Sgt Mick Stevenson, of Hull Citysafe.
"During the weeks residents can meet with all the different partner agencies and get some of their issues addressed."
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A Hull Citysafe Community Action Week will be held for the residents of North Carr from February 11-15.
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Tips for student safety
Pc Fox offers the following crime prevention advice to students:
- Before you go out plan where you are going and how you are going to get there. Take only the money you need and keep your valuables in a safe place, and out of view.
- Ask yourself does someone know where I am? How am I getting back? If you have a personal attack alarm do you have it with you? Do you know how to use it?
- Protect yourself from identity theft by keep personal documents safe and destroying unwanted documents, preferably using a shredder.
- Try to use cash machines in the day and make sure no one is standing too close to you. At night use one in a brightly lit area or get cash back from a supermarket.
- Never leave your car unlocked, even on a garage forecourt when you go for petrol. If possible use an immobiliser.
- Choose a safe place to park such as a well lit area where there are people about, especially if you don't intend to return to your car until after dark.
- Don't leave valuable items such as lap top computers or bags of shopping unattended and visible on your car seats.
- If you have to leave valuables in your car put them out of sight. Never leave mobile phones or handbags on the passenger seat as they could be 'snatched' at traffic lights.
- Consider leaving lights on if the house is going to be unoccupied at night to make it look as though someone is at home.
- Keep front and back doors locked at all times. If you open windows, keep them on the catch. Remember to close them before you go out.
- When going to bed, take your house and car keys upstairs and keep them stored out of view in a safe place in case of emergencies.
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