Your Safety
Keep your valuables with you at all times
If you are studying in the library or in the SU Building and you need to leave your study space (even for a few minutes), take your valuables and laptop with you or if you are with a friend ask them to stay and look after your possessions until you return.
Keep your valuables concealed
Try not to display your mobile phones or expensive accessories when walking home especially at night as this can increase the risk of being targeted by criminals.
Walking home
Where possible always try to walk home with friends and on busy and well-lit routes to and from your home where there are street lights and other people.
Report suspicious behaviour
If you are on campus and see what you think may be suspicious or unacceptable behaviour, report it to the University’s security team via the SafeZone App. It might be nothing but it could help to prevent something serious from happening in the present or future.
Be careful withdrawing money
If using an ATM or cash machine to withdraw money, check that there is no sign of interference before using it and hide your PIN when you’re entering it. If something doesn’t look right on the machine or there is someone standing nearby who doesn’t look like they are waiting to use it, it is probably better to go to another machine.
Online Shopping and Safety
With the convenience of buying items online or using social media to communicate and make friends, it’s easy to forget that there are risks involved and you can still become a victim of crime.
Money Advice Service has a very helpful guide on how you can make sure you are shopping online safely.
Choosing a strong password and not sharing it is very important.
Setting your social media accounts to private is the easiest way to manage who can view your profile, photos and information. Other users will have to send a follow/friend request to you, which you can then accept (or reject).
Not posting personal information such as your contact details and date of birth is very important for reducing the risk of identity theft and not posting your locations (especially while you are still in the location) are important for your personal safety.