Going away for the holidays

Thieves are often on the look-out for homes that seem empty, particularly during holiday-times, as they know a lot of people go away.

Follow our advice to help prevent your home being burgled:

Make your home look like someone is living in it, e.g. don't close your curtains. Use automatic timer-switches to turn your lights and radios on.

Cancel newspaper or milk deliveries.

Use the Royal Mail's "keep safe" service.

Read more advice to keep your home safe while you're away.

Online dating safety

Keep safe when you date online.

Online dating and social networking websites are getting more and more popular. But how safe are they and how safe is your information?

Make a separate email account for dating websites from a free provider and set up a different messenger account.

Do not reveal much in the chats. Online predators can pick apart your conversation to piece together your whereabouts.

Keep a record of your conversations. This will ensure you have evidence if you run into problems with them later.

Social networking websites

Crimestoppers has charity pages on the social networking websites Facebook, Bebo and Twitter.

Our mission on social networking websites is to reach a wider audience to tell them about Crimestoppers and the invaluable community service we provide. It's also a great place for you to tell us what you think about crime and Crimestoppers.

Not many people know that we are a charity or that they can call 0800 555 111 anonymously with information about crime, or fill out our online Giving Information Form anonymously.

Via social networking websites, we can keep our members up-to-date with Crimestoppers' news and give them the option to discuss crimes in the news.

On Facebook, we can also highlight some of the Most Wanted criminals from our website.

Bogus policeman warning

Drivers are being warned to watch out for a bogus policeman after a driver was fined by a man posing to be one in Suffolk.

The victim was stopped by a Ford Mondeo with a blue light on the front grill. The Mondeo driver wore dark jeans, a light T-shirt and a dark jacket and said that he was a police officer. He told the victim he had been speeding and asked for a £60 fine.

Police are now issuing drivers with advice on how to tell if a police officer is genuine.

If you are contacted at your door by any person in uniform and you are uncertain about their credentials...Ask for their Identity Card.

Even then if that is insufficient...close the door and ring 101 for advice.