An expert has revealed a £3 purchase could be the key to getting your prized possessions back if you’re ever burgled. Chatting on BBC Morning Live, Detective Sergeant Marc Cananur recommended this budget-friendly buy as a “great opportunity to try and get your goods back.”
Talking on the morning time show, Marc said a UV pen will come in handy explaining: “This is a great tool because you can mark your goods, with I would suggest, a postcode along with your house or flat number.” He said then if the items was found and checked by a torch which reveals UV writing it would show up.
He said: “That will then demonstrate both to police and someone who might be looking to buy it ‘oh hang on it’s got ultraviolet pen on it, why is that?’. So a great opportunity to try and get your goods back.”
In the UK a house is burgled every two minutes on average. This means that “35 homes whilst we’ve been on air this morning” have been broken into, co-host Gethin Jones pointed out, a fact him and fellow presenter Michelle Ackerley found deeply unsettling.
In order to assist people in dealing with the aftermath of a burglary, the detective sergeant advised certain steps to be taken, the first of which is not to touch anything, even if it’s just to check what else might be missing. He cautioned: “You are essentially living within a crime scene at this point, it’s no longer your home.
“There’s a natural urge to go through drawers, to go through cupboards and see what’s missing but you’ve just got to show that restraint. Don’t touch anything because that forensic value might have fingerprints, footprints, blood, saliva – anything that we can link to an offender. We want to catch people just as much as the victim does – so really think about that.”
Fingerprints might also be present on the doorbell, with the expert urging people to cover this up to preserve any potential evidence. After calling 999, it’s crucial to either mentally or physically note down what’s missing.
It’s also worth having a chat with your neighbours to see if they noticed anything odd or anyone loitering. They might have even spotted a vehicle or a registration plate that could assist in identifying the culprit.
He also advises that after taking these initial steps, you should contact your insurance company and bank. It’s a “fraudsters wish list” to get hold of personal information such as letters with your name, reference numbers, bank details, address, and more.
You should inform your bank that these documents may have been compromised. Marc warned this could make you vulnerable to future crimes like someone attempting to take out a loan in your name or setting up a new mobile contract using your funds.