Snow helps police catch burglars

My fellow crime crackers were hot on the trail of a pair of thieves who left an icy trail in their wake.

Eagle-eyed police were knocking on the door of the burglars after they followed bicycle tracks left in the frost back in February, with Leicester Crown Court seeing justice was done last week after the men both admitted the break in.

One was given a 12- month detention order and the other a year in jail.

The court was told stolen property, including sentimental items, were recovered after the men got into the bungalow by smashing a window.

A neighbour alerted police to the incident when he heard the burglar alarm of the house set off and spotted two men riding off together on one bike.

Their willingness to help, courage to call and caring nature undoubtedly helped officers in their investigation.
But anyone who sees a crime being committed or knows of illegal dealings need not fear if they are too frightened to call police.

Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111 or information can be passed on through a secure online form.

It could really make a difference.

The Crimestoppers website also has some handy pointers on how to avoid becoming a victim of burglary, which is especially useful at this time of year when some of us are looking forward to jetting off for a break.

Nude burglar leaves evidence ‘behind’

Fighting crime you come across all kinds of unsavoury characters, though some border onto just plain stupid. I recently read about a man in Kentucky, USA, who decided to burgle someone’s home whilst wearing just a thong. I can only assume it was a particularly hot day as such an outfit is far from conspicuous. And this is not a look most men can pull off easily, not even me, who can usually look good in anything!

This guy then thought it would be a good idea to film himself whilst robbing the house at 3am. There’s one major problem with this idea though. The criminal accidentally left the video at the house he was burgling. D’oh! When police arrived all the evidence they needed was right there on tape. As I said, just plain stupid.

Unfortunately not all burglars decide to leave such evidence behind. Many are experienced criminals who leave little or no clues about their identity. This is where you come in. Crimestoppers allows members of the public to give information anonymously about crimes such as burglary. If you have information about someone who may be involved in this, or any other type of crime call the anonymous hotline on 0800 555 111 or send information via the Secure Online Form.

Anti-theft bikes - what would you like to see designed next?

I really liked the Caped Crimestopper's blog post about the Design Out Crime programme. It's great to see industries other than those traditionally linked to law enforcement working to reduce glass injuries and make nights out safer for all of us.

Other products are also being designed to help reduce crime - did you know you can get anti-theft bikes? Laptops unlocked using the owner's fingerprint are becoming more common as well.

The kind folk at the Design Against Crime Research Centre have written an article for Crimestoppers on how burglars’ habits are changing as well as how design can help to prevent and deter crime. It's a good read and is on the Crimestoppers website - excelente!

What other products would you like to see designed to make them safer?

Please rob me

A new website, Please rob me, is highlighting how much information people are unwittingly sharing via social networking websites. Please rob me shows tweets from Twitter in which users are disclosing that they're out of the house. Tweets on the site are updated in real time, demonstrating that every minute people around the world are revealing too much to potential criminals.

While it may seem like a drastic approach, Please rob me is making a valid point - any information posted online is essentially available for the world to see and use. It seems that some people get so caught up in posting and communicating online that they don't think about the potential consequences of their actions. Think twice before posting anything that could leave you vulnerable to crimes including burglary and identity theft.

You wouldn't hang a sign on your door saying you're in Thailand for two weeks, so why would you post this online?

Next time I’m heading out to fight crime, I’ll be sure not to post it on Facebook until after I’ve safely returned home.

Don't follow Paris Hilton's example and leave keys under the mat

I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to crime prevention advice. I've even made a few rookie errors in my time (like leaving my Christmas shopping in the Caped Crimestopper's car!) That said, I'm proud to say I've never committed the ultimate security no no - leaving keys under the mat.

"What?" I hear you say, "surely no one would be silly enough to leave their house key under the mat?"

Yes, dear readers, it seems some people are that silly. And by 'some people', I am referring to one person in particular - Paris Hilton. Paris was burgled by the Bling Ring Gang, a group that has stolen from numerous celebrity houses in Hollywood.

Former actor Nick Prugo, a member of the Bling Ring Gang who pleaded guilty to his role in the break-ins, has been quoted as saying: "Like, who would leave a door unlocked? Who would leave a lot of money lying around?"

Although Mr Prugo does have a point, people should always keep their doors and windows locked and their keys on them, nobody deserves to be burgled. I'm not really sure what Paris is famous for (I'm not sure if anyone really is) but I'm sure it didn't warrant this.

According to my grand kids, there's lots of young people out there who want to be like Paris Hilton; well here's my tip, dye your hair blonde and dress your pets in costumes if you want to, but never leave your key under your door mat.

Burglar makes himself at home with fried chicken and a shower

Not many things ever manage to come between my dinner and I. Food is one of my main passions (along with fighting crime), possibly due to my Spanish heritage. That said, there are times and places when eating a meal or even helping ones self to a small snack just isn't appropriate.

A burglar from eastern Pennsylvania doesn't seem to share this view - he allegedly broke into a woman's house by throwing a rock through a window pane on her door. According to court records, the intruder then not only rummaged through all of the rooms of the house, but also had a shower, cut his hair and prepared himself a meal before being discovered by the homeowner.

She discovered the man sitting on her sofa watching television. He had some fried chicken cooking in the kitchen and had helped himself to a few cans of beer. The man refused to leave the premises until police attended and charged him with burglary, criminal trespass, theft and criminal mischief.

I hope for his sake the fried chicken was worth it!

Protect yourself from doorstep deception

Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign today targeting distraction burglary (you might also know it as doorstep crime or bogus callers). The typical age of a victim is 81... Oh the cheek of it. The targeting of older people in their own homes is disgusting and so cowardly!

As part of today's campaign launch, a list of the top 10 Most Wanted distraction burglars has been released. Police are looking to locate and speak to all 10 of the Most Wanted about recent distraction burglaries. They come from all around - Derby to Northern Ireland to Avon and Somerset. Check out their photos on the Crimestoppers Most Wanted website, one of them just might live near you.

Distraction burglary involves someone using a trick or a lie to gain access to a house, before stealing cash and belongings. One of the wanted men went to an elderly lady's house in Hampshire claiming to be from a near-by building site checking people's pipes after a water leak. He and two other men stole £600 from the woman, which she had been saving to buy a new headstone for her parent's grave. These men should be ashamed of themselves. What a horrendous thing to do!

As an older lady, I'm always cautious about who I let into my house. It can be challenging to tell who is legitimate and who isn't. My rule is simple but effective: If I don't know them, I don't let them in. Better safe than sorry I say. You can read distraction burglary crime prevention advice on the Crimestoppers website to learn more about protecting yourself at home.

If you have any information about distraction burglary, call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Calls are not traced or recorded so no one will ever know you called. You can also pass information to the charity online.

Stay safe and secure

A bank robber stole my homework

There's been a fair few stories written on the I spy a crime blog lately about burglars and robberies that have been carried out by some very clumsy crooks. Here's another for you, this time about an alleged American bank robber who tried to dispose of evidence in a very a dog ate my homework kind of way.

John Ford was caught on police video chewing a piece of paper while he was handcuffed and in police custody. It is alleged he grabbed the paper in his mouth as police emptied his pockets. Police believe the piece of paper was the note he had just used to hold up a bank. I don't think destroying the note would have ruined the police's case against Ford - his car was found nearby containing a bag full of money and a bank dye pack that had recently exploded.

Bank robbery is a crime that I think is often misunderstood - it doesn't only damage the banks, it also affects people who work in banks and the communities banks are in. Crimestoppers has appealed for information about bank robberies in Greater Manchester previously. There is even a £100,000 reward available for information about bank robberies in the Greater Manchester region. Information must lead to an arrest and conviction to be eligible.

Maybe instead of robbing banks, would-be criminals would be better off keeping their ear to the ground and passing on information about other bank robbers!

Want-to-be thief gets stuck in window with his trousers down

When I first watched the video below, two phrases sprung to mind. The first was crime doesn't pay and the second was don't get caught with your trousers down. I bet the man in the video is starting to agree with at least the second one!

The bare-legged man was trying to gain entry to a supermarket by climbing through a basement window when he got stuck halfway. His trousers fell down leaving his pants revealed to onlookers for 11 hours. Police suspect he was trying to break-in to the supermarket at the time and once released, took him to the station for questioning.

Let's Stamp out distraction burglary

Now I don't know about you, but I've been a fan of The Bill since it first aired in August 1983. The dishy characters combined with riveting story lines make it must-watch TV. That's why when I heard the Home Office's new distraction burglary campaign was being fronted by Graham Cole (fellow Bill fans might know him better as PC Tony Stamp), I sat up and paid attention.

Distraction burglary is when someone gains access to your home by false pretences, such as claiming to be from a utility company, to steal your belongings. The Home Office reports that older people and students are most at risk of it.

When someone I don’t know knocks on my front door, I always check their ID before even thinking about letting them enter my house. Always call the company the visitor claims to be from to clarify who they are. I’ve done this many times and genuine callers don’t mind waiting. If you would like more information about protecting yourself from distraction burglary, check out the Crimestoppers website. Also, the Home Office has put together free Secure your home packs as part of their campaign.

You can never be too careful with your health and the safety of your home so learn how to protect yours today.

I'll leave you with the wise words of Graham Cole, my man of the hour: "Anytime someone knocks on your door, if in doubt keep them out.”

Who said burglars need masks?

Here at I spy a crime, we love the motto is Fight crime without revealing your identity. A story I read online today stood out at me because the crooks involved did the exact opposite - commited a crime while leaving no doubt about who they were!

Matthew Allan McNelly, 23, and Joey Lee Miller, 20, can only be described as dumb and dumber after 'disguising' their faces using permanent marker while attempting to break into a house in Iowa, USA.

It was reported that they had been drinking before they decided to break into the property, where one of the men believed his ex-girlfriend was staying. Neighbours reported seeing men with painted faces drive away in a white car from the scene.

Police located the vehicle with McNelly and Miller still inside. Both men were charged with attempted burglary, and McNelly was charged additionally with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Check out a photo of these men if you haven't already; theirs has to be one of the most bizarre disguises I’ve seen in my crime-fighting days!

Beware of the dog? Burglars don't think so

While Mask of Manuel's post about the woman that pretended to be a dog was funny, I still won't be putting a Beware of the dog sign by my front door. Ex-burglar Michael Fraser (of BBC's 'To Catch a Thief' and 'Beat the Burglar', as well as Channel 4's 'One Last Job') wrote a fascinating piece for Crimestoppers on deterring burglars and one of his tips is not hanging a Beware of the dog or I love cats sign by your door.

Michael argues that most pet owners don't have house alarms and some leave back doors open for their animals, so a sign like this could be attracting criminals as opposed to deterring them. You can read more of Michael's great tips in his article Adopt a burglars way of thinking on the Crimestoppers website.

Woman scares off burglar by acting like dog

I live in a fairly safe neighbourhood, but some people still use extra safety messages such as hanging up Beware of the dog signs by their doors. I've often wondered whether signs like these are actually effective at deterring criminals.

An article in the Athens-Banner Herald suggests that having a dog at your house, or at least pretending you do, might deter some would-be crims.

Over the weekend a lady in Georgia, USA, scared off a potential burglar by pretending to be a large dog. The woman saw through her window a man attempting to open her front door. The woman dropped to all fours by the door and imitated a dog. Exactly which dog-like characteristics she adopted has not been specified, but she must have been realistic as the man ran away.

Where do you keep your ID?

I've been in the crime-fighting industry for a few years now, since well before tv or mobile phones were around. In my opinion, the introduction of the internet has changed crime-fighting immensely. The internet helps fight crimes, for example by allowing organisations such as the charity Crimestoppers to publish images of Most Wanted individuals, but it has also made others more common.

There's new research out today finding that in three quarters of burglaries, some form of identification is amongst what is stolen. In one in seven burglaries, ID is the only thing stolen.

Now I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want other people getting their hands on my passport or drivers license. The idea of someone else traveling or opening up bank accounts in my name makes me feel pretty sick. If my passport is going abroad, I certainly want to be going with it!

To reduce the value of your ID if it is stolen, make sure you report all stolen or lost documents as missing straight away. Insurance company LV suggests you store documents in secure but separate places in your home so if someone finds one document, they won't have them all. Check out the Crimestoppers website for some great tips that can help you prevent becoming a victim of identity theft.

Stay safe.