Police warning ahead of Silverstone Grand Prix
Northamptonshire Police is encouraging people to make sure they are well-prepared ahead of the 2016 Grand Prix at Silverstone in Northamptonshire this weekend.
Officers want visitors to the circuit and neighbouring camp sites to 'do their bit' to ensure they do not become a victim of crime.
Chief Superintendent Mick Stamper is the event commander:
Northamptonshire Police has the following tips for anyone hoping to camp or visit the circuit this weekend:
Tent Security:
Don’t leave your valuables in your tent when it is unattended.
Once you get to Silverstone, one of the main things to keep safe and secure is your tent, especially if you’ve taken all your worldly belongings and they are all inside your tent.
Tents are, by their very nature, not secure. If you are spending a lot of time wandering around Silverstone then your tent will spend a lot of time alone.
Leave your tent untidy; don't make it easy for a thief to grab a bag with everything in it.
There are ways to make your tent as secure as possible, especially at night when you return from the circuit.
When you’re in your tent, secure the zip pulls together with a padlock to stop anyone getting inside.
Remove your wallet or purse from any clothing and hide money close to you while you sleep. Consider investing in a money belt that you can wear while you sleep.
Consider purchasing some purse bells or purse alarms that activate when your purse is removed so you can hear it being stolen.
Gadgets:
Leave your shiny smart phone at home and bring an old one with you instead.
If you can’t live without your smart phone, tablet or laptop make sure you protect it. Download an anti-theft app before you set off; most are free, quick to install and will give us the best chance of finding your phone and hopefully catching the person who took it. To find and install an app go to your app store and search ‘anti-theft’.
Before you leave, make sure someone back home has details of the make and model of your phone, its IMEI number and any password. Also note down the account username and password of your tracking app.
When you arrive at Silverstone please remember to be discreet with your phone, keep it out of sight.
Register your property phone, MP3 player, camera and other property on the Immobilise database. It takes only a few minutes and is free.
Use a UV pen to write your postcode and house number on your stuff – it’s invisible to the human eye but if your gadget comes into a police station we will check it with our lights and return it to you.
Finally, please remember that it is against the law to report a lost phone as stolen just so you can get a crime reference number and claim on your insurance to get a new phone. It’s not worth risking a criminal record yourself just to save yourself a few quid.
Personal safety:
Be aware of your surroundings and who is around you when you whip out your wallet to pay for your pint. Don’t take more money than you need, there are cash points on site or you can pay for items on your card.
While walking around the Silverstone site and campsites try and stay with friends, especially at night – there really is safety in numbers.
Stick to walking in well lit areas where possible.
Be aware of your surroundings. We would advise against wandering around wearing headphones.
Don’t flash your cash about, or broadcast how great your fancy new iPad or mobile phone is.
By all means, please have a good time, but remember that drinking too much hampers your judgment – one drink too many can lead to many problems – not least forgetting where your tent is. You can also become prone to assault or robbery when drunk – so try not to have too much and keep aware of your surroundings.
Consider the need to carry around a personal attack alarm some are available with a torch.
Don't challenge people looking through tents - report them to Silverstone campsite/circuit staff or the police