I have just finished watching Britain's Unsolved Crimewave #C4dispatches Channel 4 presented by Isobel Yeung and produced by Kalel Productions that aired this week. It used statistics on policing in the UK analysed by Crest Data to build a grim picture.
However, in a familiar pattern, the media highlight crime and the challenging policing landscape but fail to use a vital opportunity to educate the public on how to stay #safe .
Here are some of the things the programme makers could have mentioned ( perhaps in a simple text piece during credits ).
Bike Theft
If owners of bicycles use of BikeRegister - the UK's National Cycle Database they vastly increase the chances of a stolen bike making it's way back to them.
Street Robberies
I helped a victim of this, and her phone was returned to them using their IMEI number. Take a note of the IMEI number of your phone by typing *#06# into the keypad. If your phone is stolen, report it, and give the IMEI number.
Generally as the Metropolitan Police campaign says 'Look up, Look Out' and be aware of your surroundings.
Got an #luxurywatch ? Don't wear it on the street in central London, but put it on in surroundings you know, and are comfortable in. #WatchCrime wasn't mentioned in the programme but that deserves a show all of its own for the level of violence that sadly can be used!
It would also have been beneficial to encourage victims of crime to seek help for trauma using My Support Space by Victim Support .
It was pleasing to see comments from the MET on robberies in #westminster decreasing since the beginning of the year as I know they began an ( overdue ) campaign on the issue.
Ultimately, crime is sadly a fact of life and happens everywhere. How we react to it is in our control, and that includes taking preventative measures that Neighbourhood Watch work hard to get across to people.
With this in mind, it would be a real step forward if the media, when highlighting shocking issues of crime, also took the opportunity to offer steps that, can be taken to reduce it the crime in the first place.
Note - a link to the interesting research and work by Crest Data is below.
- further crime prevention tips are available here https://lnkd.in/g3iwMgyQ
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