Students - Stay safe

Hi Resident

With schools, colleges and Uni's all busy we would like to provide some information for student safety. I appreciate we all like to think “that will never happen to me/my child” but a lot of people don't spot the signs or are too embarrassed to say anything so it's important we support each other and our loved ones. How ever big or small, some of the below may seem, everyone is impacted differently and can have long lasting devastating impact.

Stay Safe Crimestoppers have launched a nationwide campaign due to the escalating threats to UK students. This primarily covers: 

• Financial exploitation 

• Drink and vape spiking 

• The dangers of ketamine 

• Burglary, robbery, and theft 

Money Mule

Data reveals that 3 in 5 students have been approached to become money mules (criminals use an offered student’s bank account for money laundering). This represents a 78% year-on-year increase in money mule activity among under-21s, with criminals specifically targeting financially pressured students. 

What are the consequences for me being a money mule? 

• Money muling is money laundering - a serious crime 

• Could result in criminal charges and prison time • Banks may freeze your accounts permanently as you have given access to the criminals you will be at risk here!

• Future loan and mortgage applications could be refused 

Drink & Vape Spiking

Drink spiking affects 2.2% of UK adults annually - equivalent to approx. 1.2 million people. Drinkaware found that 90% of drink spiking incidents go unreported to police, with half of victims stating they "didn't see the point" in reporting. I've seen spiking, and the after effects, and it's scary as you can't recall anything!

What are the symptoms? 

• Feeling much more drunk than expected • Confusion, nausea, or dizziness 

• With spiked vapes, shortness of breath and coughing 

• Memory loss or blackouts 

• Feeling vulnerable or scared 

Ketamine

There has been a dramatic rise in ketamine use among young people. Government statistics show that ketamine use among 16–24 year olds has increased by 231% since 2013, with almost 25 tonnes consumed in England in 2024 - more than doubling from 10.6 tonnes in 2023. 

What are the health risks to me? 

• ‘K-Hole’; the feeling of complete separation between mind and body 

• Kidney damage 

• Severe bladder damage (‘K-bladder’) 

• Addiction and dependency 

• Mental health impacts - getting a high “fix” could end up running your friendships/relationships/career and job opportunities and finances

• Dangerous accidents whilst under the influence (do you really want a police and/or criminal conviction which will impact most of your life/career prospects and worst case a custodial sentence?)

Robbery theft and burglary 

Targeting student accommodation remains significant, with electronics theft being particularly problematic. Universities report varying crime rates, with some institutions experiencing over 20 crimes per 1,000 students. 

How can I prevent this? 

• Always lock doors and windows 

• Keep valuables out of sight 

• Use curtains to obscure expensive items 

• Install tracking apps on devices 

• Mark property with UV pen (your uni + student number) 

• Never leave devices unattended and on show 

• Use secure lockers when available 

• Be discreet with expensive items 

(information sourced from Crimestoppers and Drink Aware) 

If you have experienced, witnessed or suspect please report to: Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or Police – call 101 Crimestoppers – call 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org