Palmerston North Police are promoting Operation "SNAP" in the city. This is an initiative involving the Insurance Council of New Zealand and the New Zealand Police.
Palmerston North Police will work with Neighbourhood Support groups to promote Operation "SNAP" which is a serial number action project that aims to prevent crime by reducing the risk of your valuable property being stolen.
Recording serial numbers of valuables and placing SNAP labels on these items are two simple and effective ways of protecting your property. It also helps the Police to prevent crime. Palmerston North Police are committed to reducing crime in the city and this operation will be a key strategy over the next 12 months to assist in achieving that aim.
Historically, dishonesty offending amounts to around 70 per cent of total crime in the city with burglary, theft from cars, general theft, unlawfully taken motor vehicles and shoplifting featuring significantly.
This operation will target burglary in particular.
The public will be provided with a project pack which includes a document on which they can record details of their insurance policy along with valuable items including model numbers and serial numbers.
Police suggest that if you don’t have serial numbers on some valuable property, to engrave them with your driver’s licence number and record these details. They also suggest taking photographs or video film footage of valuables and keeping that in a safe place for future reference.
The kit will also contain warning stickers alerting would-be-burglars to the fact that serial numbers on the premises have been recorded along with a series of stickers to be placed on valuable items.
These project packs will be available from the Central Police Station, Palmerston North or through Neighbourhood Support at the Awapuni Community Policing Centre.
Police urge people to record serial numbers of valuable items and store the list in a safe place or alternatively, if the property items are insured, to post the list to their insurance company requesting they record the details on the insurance policy. If items are not insured, it is suggested that the serial number list is given to a trusted relative or friend for safe keeping.
The prominent window stickers act as a deterrent to criminals thereby reducing the likelihood of a burglary -- they will know property has been labelled and the serial numbers recorded making it harder for them to sell the goods. This increases the risk of apprehension and reduces the potential benefits to a would-be-offender.