Robbery and Theft

If you have been a victim of crime, don’t suffer in silence. Even if you do not want to report the crime to the police, think about telling a trusted friend or family member so they can help and support you. Nottinghamshire Victim CARE can also provide you with help and support even if you do not want to report the crime to the Police.

Victim CARE can provide:

• Emotional support to help you cope and recover from the crime
• Advocacy with other agencies and organisations
• Advice on crime prevention and provision of target hardening equipment (if required)
• Practical support and advice
• Restorative Justice
• Support applying to Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA)

Call Nottinghamshire Victim CARE on 0800 304 7575.

If you do want to report the crime to the police please see our page on reporting a crime.

Robbery is where someone uses force or the threat of force to steal something from you. This can cover being robbed as an individual, in what might be referred more commonly to as ‘mugging’, or as a business in cases where violence is threatened in order to steal cash or goods.

Theft is defined as when someone ‘dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving it’ – meaning that the offender has no intention of returning to you what they have taken. This could cover having your handbag stolen, shoplifting or having your bike stolen.

Practical Advice

Try to note down everything that has been stolen. You might need to provide evidence to show the value of items you intend to claim for. Try to gather receipts, ownership documents or photos – or any evidence of purchase from bank statements.

Contact the number on your insurance policy as soon as you feel able to. You will need to explain in detail what exactly happened, so it can be helpful to do this when it is fresh in your memory.

You will also need to provide insurers with your crime number – the officer in your case should have provided this to you after taking your statement. If you don’t have this or can’t remember, you can contact 101 and they can provide it after taking a few details.

If you were injured as part of a robbery you might be entitled to apply for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. As defined by the scheme, blameless victims who have been injured as part of a violent crime could be awarded compensation – for more information on the scheme and eligibility visit the government website here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/criminal-injuries-compensation-a-guide#eligibility

Looking After Yourself

Everyone reacts differently to experiencing a crime. It is important however to recognise that whatever has happened to you, it can still feel like a violation.

If you have any physical injuries, it is important that you get these checked out as soon as possible at either a walk in centre or Accident and Emergency – you can find your local urgent care centre here https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/Urgent-Care/LocationSearch/0

You might also find that you feel suddenly quite emotional, you might struggle to sleep properly or feel anxious being in your home or out and about. It is important that you recognise that all of these are not unusual to experience following any crime.

Some ways you can help yourself during this time:

• Let your friends and family know what has happened, and if you feel comfortable, tell them how you feel
• If possible, speak to your workplace or school – see whether they can offer flexibility or time off to sort things out
• If you are struggling with your emotional wellbeing, speak to your GP – they may be able to refer you for counselling

The NHS Moodzone pages have a lot of tips on how to boost your emotional wellbeing which you can find here.

Here are some tips to feeling safer:

• Try not to make your valuables an easy target, for example by walking carrying your phone in your hand. Thieves want to quickly grab items, and it will make it harder if you put it away.
• Spread your valuables out around your person – for example, purse in a bag, phone in jacket, keys in trouser pocket.
• Carry a personal alarm – designed to quickly emit a very loud noise, alarms can deter offenders from continuing with a theft
• Act confident – by walking tall and appearing self-assured a thief is less likely to target you
• Be aware of surroundings – pay attention to where you are walking and what is going on
• Walk in well-lit and populated areas
• If you feel uneasy or like you’re being followed, go into the nearest shop – speak to a staff member
• Most importantly, if someone tries to take something from you it is probably best to let them take it. Although you can reasonably defend yourself, you can never tell whether the offender might be stronger than you or carrying a weapon.