Police are telling Croydon's youngsters to register their new gadgets to prevent expensive Christmas presents falling into the hands of thieves.

Officers will launch a two-week safety campaign on Monday to encourage schoolkids to link gadgets such as mobile phones and tablets to a website to help trace them if stolen.

Police suggest youngsters to register electronics with the Immobilise website before returning to school after the Christmas break, when thieves are often on the prowl.

Officers will handing out information at transport hubs at the beginning and end of the school day on Monday.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Baxter, who is leading the operation said: "A lot of young people will have received new phones or tablets for Christmas and will be keen to take these to school and show them to their friends. However, thieves are well aware of this and will be looking to take advantage.

"A new iPhone is worth several hundred pounds, so it’s important to make sure it’s properly registered and has security apps installed such as ‘Find my i-phone’ app, which will help us should it be stolen."

He added: "As well as registering your property it’s also important to be aware of what’s going on around you. Make sure you travel with a friend to and from school and keep your valuables out of sight when you’re on the bus or in public."

To help protect your phone and other valuables follow these simple steps:

  • Be aware of what’s going on around you, especially in crowded places or train stations
  • When you get off a train, tram or bus, don’t use your phone immediately - leave it a while
  • Don’t walk and text at the same time, you will be less aware of what is happening around you
  • Make a note of your phone’s IMEI number and register your phone on the Immobilise website - www.immobilise.com - to help police recover your phone if it gets stolen. To find out what your phone’s IMEI number is, type *#06# on your phone’s keypad
  • If you’ve got a smartphone, download a tracker app, which can also help police locate your phone should it be stolen