YORK residents worried about their property being stolen are being invited to join a campaign to make it easier to return stolen goods to their owners.

City of York Council is urging people to register their property for free using new technology invested in by North Yorkshire Police and the Safer York Partnership during the week-long national campaign.

The authority teamed up with police to provide £36,000 to fund the Hermes and Apollo kits.

Hermes allows the police and other organisations to upload details of property by recording identifying features, size or serial numbers, which can be retrieved from the Immobilise National Property Register.

Apollo is a hand-held scanner which the police and PCSOs can use to scan an item, store its data on the National Mobile Property Register and retrieve the information when suspected stolen goods come to light.

The eleven sessions for the public are being held so people can either have small items such as smartphones or laptops registered, or can bring details – including photographs – of valuable furniture or serial numbers of bikes, for example.

Coun Linsay Cunningham-Cross, cabinet member for crime, said: “Safer York Partnership is keen to use innovative technology to deliver more effective and efficient responses to tackling crime.

“By taking a few minutes to register their property on Hermes and Apollo and pick up security advice, residents can not only help prevent their belongings being stolen in the first place, but can be assured that if something is stolen, they are more likely to get it back.”

Supt Phil Cain said: “Often the police recover items during searches or by other means, and it’s not always clear if those goods are stolen.

“By using the Immobilise register, they can find out instantly. This not only saves officer time, but helps progress investigations and means the rightful owner gets their belongings back.”

The sessions will take place at the council’s West Offices, in Station Rise, today and tomorrow, between 9am and 3pm.

There are also sessions at York Explore library, in Library Square, today from 1pm to 6pm, on Friday from 1pm to 5pm, and on Sunday from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

There will also be sessions at York University Library from tomorrow until Friday, 9am to 3pm, or at York Art Gallery, on Saturday and Sunday, from 9am to 3pm.