Student Safety

Students own more expensive consumer goods per head than the rest of the population. It is no surprise then that 1 in 3 students becomes the victim of a crime each year. Added to that fact, young people (aged 16 to 24 year old) are around three times more likely to be victims of burglary than people in other age groups, which makes students all the more vulnerable.

What to look out for

Crimes that mostly affect students are:

mugging

vehicle-related theft

burglary

But by taking a few simple precautions, you can help to make sure you don't become a victim.

Top safety tips

Don't be a statistic. Staying safe is all about following a few common-sense guidelines. Read the following tips, which could make all the difference:

Many burglaries happen when a door or window has been left open - in a private home or flat, lock up whenever you go out, the Community Safety Centre stock a wide range of locks and bolts to fit almost every window and door starting from as little as £3.50.

In a hall of residence, be careful who you let in or who follows you into the building - lock your bedroom door even if you are only going down the corridor. Devices such as a Safe Book can be a low cost solution in hiding your personal belongings away including items such as memory sticks that could be worth very little but hold years of university work that is invaluable, Safe Cans and Safe Books can be purchased for £3.00 and £4.20.

Robbers are after an easy target - walk in groups at night, travel by taxi or stay over with friends, your safety is worth more than the cab fare home! Personal Alarms are an effective device in alerting others that you are in trouble, personal alarms make a loud screaming sound when activated and are designed to startle the perpritrator allowing you enough time to get away or alert others to your situation. Personal alarms can be purchased for as little as £2 and come in many stylish designs to suit everyones taste.

If possible, use cash-machines during the day - put your card and cash away and be vigilant - never write down your PIN. Keep cards and chequebooks separately - note down your card details so you can cancel them quickly. When withdrawing money from cash machines it is a good idea to place your cash and cards in an inside pocket of a jacket or use a Secret Pouch that you wear across your body and under your outer clothing. The Community Safety Centre always have these bags in stock and cost from £1.50.

Always lock your car and put valuables out of sight - never leave the keys in the ignition even when paying for petrol. If your car is not alarmed you can purchase a portable wireless car alarm for just over £20.00, however if this is out of your price range simulated car alarms are available that makes your car look alarmed.

After a night out, arrange to go home with friends, or in a taxi. remember safety in numbers.

To prevent spiking, don't leave drinks unattended, watch out for each other and if you see anything suspicious make your suspicions known to a responsible person. A leaflet produced by Rotherham Community Safety and Advice Centre on Pub, Club and Party Safety will soon be available to download, in the meantime you can contact us for a copy of this leaflet.

Be vigilant when using your mobile phone - if your phone is stolen, call your network or 08701 123 123 to immobilise it

Protect yourself with insurance - keep lists of the make, model and serial numbers of your electronic items to help police track them down if they are stolen mark your property with the initials of your university (e.g. NU - Nottingham University) and your student ID number - this makes it harder for a burglar to sell stolen goods and can help the police to return items to you. The easiest way to mark your valuables is by a UV Pen these are are available for as little as 50p.

Leaflets on Student Safety are available from our charity or the Home Office. Further information on any of the products mentioned can be found on our trading website www.communitysafetycentre.moonfruit.com. If you would like further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Rotherham Community Safety and Advice Centre wishes you all good luck in your studies.