Public offered chance to security-mark their property at Eastfield library

On Monday 25 February, officers from Filey and Eastfield Neighbourhood Policing Team will be at Eastfield Library Community Hub between 4pm and 6pm to mark property.

The dot peen property marking system allows police to etch a unique reference number onto a range of items, which can include the postcode of the owner. This acts as a deterrent to potential theft, and will also help to recover stolen property if it's found.

All items marked will be listed on a national database, which means that if they are stolen and are recovered elsewhere, the owner can be easily identified.

PCSO Caroline Richman, of Filey and Eastfield Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "Marking your cycles and other valuable property is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from being a victim of theft or burglary. Criminals will spot the engraving, and realise that the item will be too difficult to sell on.

"Should the worst happen, the unique number will vastly increase the chances that police can reunite you with your property if it is lost or stolen. Being able to trace the ownership of stolen items in this way can provide key evidence that is vital in securing convictions."

Dot peen machines can mark at a speed of two characters per second, to an accuracy of 0.006mm. Lots of different belongings can be branded using this system, including metal, wood, leather and plastic. This means items such as phones, bikes, DIY equipment and gardening tools can all be marked.