Nottingham's universities are working hard to crack down on burglaries in student areas. Emily Winsor spoke to Notts Police and students to find out more...

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STUDENT houses are always a target for burglars, who have their eyes on the multiple laptops, iPods and other gadgets inside.

But in the last year the number of burglaries in the Lenton area – where most students live – has gone down.

From October 1, 2010, to January 31, 2011, there were 74 burglaries of homes in the area while from October 1, 2011, to January 31 this year, there were 65.

The police and universities have been working together to tackle the problem and are hopeful that the downward trend will continue.

About 20 students from the University of Nottingham teamed up with officers from Canning Circus Police Station on February 9 as part of ongoing work to combat the number of burglaries, thefts and other crimes in the city, particularly in areas that are highly populated by students, such as Lenton, the Arboretum and Radford.

It was part of the Love Your Stuff campaign, run by the police and universities.

Sergeant Alex Cooney, who is based at Canning Circus police station, said it was simple things like opening curtains during the day that can make all the difference in preventing burglary.

He said: "Common sense is a really important part of the scheme. Little things like double-checking doors and windows are secured before leaving the house, making sure the burglar alarm is on and opening the curtains, so the house looks occupied, can really work.

"The majority of burglaries are opportunist. A burglar will see an open window and take a chance.

"So what we do is make sure we get out and about, knock on doors and be a visible presence in the area so that students are aware of what to do to keep their stuff safe."

He added: "The fact that there are a lot of electrical goods in student homes means burglars see them as more appealing.

"It is very important to make sure computers have security packages on them so they can be traced, and to back up all university work so that in case of a burglary all your work is not lost too."

The "student ambassadors" who work with the police have been handing out crime prevention advice to residents and pointed out insecure vehicles and homes with unlocked doors or open windows.

Love Your Stuff student ambassador Maria Morris, 20, who studies music at the University of Nottingham said: "I decided to get involved in the Love Your Stuff Campaign because I believe that safety where we live is very important.

"I know, as a student myself, that people don't often realize what crime is going on around them, so our job was to make them aware.

"All of the students we spoke to were very grateful for our advice, which showed that it is taken seriously. Many asked lots of questions and we felt like they took in what we told them."

Adam McGregor, 22, who studies English studies, also took part in the campaign.

He said: "The students I spoke to seemed very receptive to the advice that the campaign was offering.

"The majority claimed to already practice most of the crime-prevention tips, which I think is indicative of the success of the campaign.

"A few students said they were recent victims of burglary and that they were now increasingly vigilant as a result."

Police are urging students to register electrical items, including mobiles phones and computers, on the Immobilise property database.

This helps police reunite stolen items with their owner.

For information about the free service go to www.immobilise.com or www.nottinghamshire.police.uk.

A form of software called Lojak for Laptops can also be downloaded, as well as the Find my iPhone application for iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch, and the Find my Phone "app" for smart phones.

Students are also are advised to keep valuables out of sight, not to walk home alone after a night out and to use well-lit routes.