An Essex Police initiative is targeting youngsters in a bid to drive down mobile phone theft.

Advice - PC Geoff Whiter shows year six pupil Sarah Moseley the phone website Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

Officers were at Wickford Junior School, Market Road, Wickford, to promote the Good Vibrations campaign.

The aim is to encourage school children to register their phones on a Home Office-approved site.

PC Geoff Whiter, a community liaison officer at Wickford, said: "In the past five years more than 25,000 mobile phones have been stolen in the UK.

"Statistically, 48 per cent of victims are under 18 and a third of offenders are between 15 and 16, so it is a young persons' offence."

By registering a phone, the owner can block calls to any network if it is lost or stolen.

Mobile phones can be registered on the website www.menduk.org

Published Thursday July 1, 2004

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