"If the unthinkable were to happen, and we hope it never will, would you know the make, model and serial numbers of your television or your hi-fi for example?"

Unless you've made the special effort to make notes of this vital information your property would be no different from the millions of others stolen throughout the country. If the serial number of a stolen item was known it could be circulated as stolen in very much the same way as a stolen vehicle. So how do we do it?

Contact contact the community Safety Officer and he will arrange for you to borrow, free of charge, a property marking kit and be able to offer suitable advice.

By printing your postcode followed by your house number or first three letters of your house name, it is possible to trace you as the owner anywhere in the country. Always mark your property on the underneath as the postcode can be slightly visible on non-porous surfaces, and try to renew the writing every 12 months. If you move, simply write the new postcode.

For small items such as jewellery, which cannot easily be written on, simply take a photograph of it. Remember to place the item next to a ruler when you take the photo. On flatter items such as an expensive watch you might consider photocopying the object. This gives a pretty fair picture.