Shoppers in Maidstone can get their valuables marked by police community support officers through December.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays through the month, between 11am and 1pm, the officers will be in The Mall Chequers to mark belongings such as mobile phones and log them on online property databases.

Bicycle owners will also be able to get their bikes marked at bike stores.

These will take place on:

• Thursday, December 18 between 2pm and 4pm at Cycles UK in Lower Stone Street
• Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December between 11am and 1pm at Cycles UK in Lower Stone Street
• Friday, December 19 to Sunday, December 21, between 11am and 1pm at Evans Cycles in Tonbridge Road

In addition to the property marking events, anybody who buys a mobile telephone in Maidstone town centre will be given an information leaflet.

This will contain details on how to secure your phone. Property marking pens will also be available.

Police community support officer Caroline Wayland said: “Christmas is naturally a very busy time in terms of the sale of items like mobile phones and bicycles so we want to do as much as we can to help residents protect these items, and are working with retailers across the town to do this.

“The more items that we get marked and logged means it is all the more difficult for people to trade in stolen property and hopefully prevent people becoming a victim of crime.”