Pick pockets targeted in Milton Keynes |
|
3 September 2008 - Milton Keynes police have completed a week-long operation aimed at shocking people into taking better care of their personal property. ‘Operation Dip’, which began on Saturday 16 August, involved plain-clothed officers walking around shopping centres dropping warning cards into open bags and pushchairs. The cards read ‘I could have stolen your purse today’. PC Kelly Glister, leading the operation, which was run with Partners Against Crime, said: When people found these cards in their handbags and pushchairs, we hope that they realised how easy it would have been for a thief to target them. “We want to encourage more people to think about how to make their personal property safe when walking around in busy areas. Simple steps like making sure the zip of your handbag is done up and not putting purses and mobile phones in the bottom of pushchairs makes it much harder for a thief to strike.” In addition to the warning cards, uniformed officers conducted high-visibility patrols in known hotspots to target known offenders. They carried out stop searches and worked with retailers to gather intelligence and evidence to support prosecutions. PC Glister continued: “The week-long operation will hopefully reduce the number of thefts from people in the city centre. “Since April, we have had 39 reported thefts in the area and many of these could have been avoided if property was secured. She added: “These thieves are opportunists and we need to make sure that we reduce their opportunities to steal and work with the retailers to bring them to justice.” |