RESIDENTS and businesses are being urged to prevent thefts by marking their most valuable items with security details.

North Kent police have been carrying out Operation Engraver since April, where businesses and residents have been provided with kits to mark their equipment.

A property marking day was held on June 11 at the Village Centre, New Ash Green.

Residents turned up at the centre to have their bicycles etched for free.

Police Community Support Officer for New Ash Green Joye Braybrook said: "By encouraging companies and residents to security mark their property, should any items be stolen the chances of them being returned to their owners are greatly increased."

The marking is usually an ultra violet postcode or alpha dot, where the owner's address is reduced to the size of a pinhead but can still be read with specialist equipment.