Help prevent crime around our borders<br>

Help prevent crime around our borders

We all have the power to protect our border from crimes that put us at risk. By stopping crime at the borders, we collectively protect communities and secure the future. Working in partnership with

Border Force logoREPORT IT, LET'S SORT IT.

Speak up, 100% anonymously - call free on 0800 011 3304 or fill in our online form:

Give information anonymously

The best way to help protect our borders? Knowing the signs to spot these crimes and criminals, and to speak up with information that could help stop the people behind them.

Our charity works with Project Kraken, Project Servator, Project Falco, Project Pegasus and Border Force, and powers the UK Border Watch reporting service, giving you a way to report any information or suspicions 100% anonymously. You can call free on 0800 011 3304 or report it online 24/7, here on our website.

If crime and the people behind it are left unchecked, then everybody suffers.

  • Imagine you’re out for an early morning dog walk on the beach when you see a small boat moor up in the distance. As you get closer you see people getting off the boat; as you walk past, you notice they look scared…
  • Imagine you’re watching from your window, and a small plane lands at the nearby airfield in the late afternoon. It’s not the usual aircraft. This one’s much smaller, and it’s quickly surrounded by people you don’t recognise. They load something into the plane in a rush, not seeming to care about the time of day. As the plane takes off again, you feel a sense of unease - no one talks about flights like this...
  • Imagine sitting in an airport terminal, waiting for your flight. Nearby, someone lingers by security, intently watching the screening process instead of preparing for their journey. They closely follow bag scans, study staff as they guide passengers, and focus on private, staff-only areas—all without any luggage. While curiosity about security isn’t uncommon, their intense focus feels unusual...
  • Imagine arriving back into your spot at the marina after a day of sailing only to find someone hanging around one of the other boats. You know all the locals, so it seems strange to see someone new, and you could have sworn they were eyeing up the security camera…

What do we mean by UK Border Watch?

Border-related crime encompasses any illegal activity that impacts or occurs around our coasts, borders, and air, including small ports, docks, marinas, major airports, and small airfields. This can include theft, smuggling, criminal damage, insider threats such as corruption or collusion by colleagues, interest in security procedures, or other suspicious behaviour. Whether you’re a sailor, involved in the aviation industry, a frequent traveller, or simply enjoying the coast or the skies, if you notice something unusual or concerning, the UK Border Watch reporting service is here to support you.

What sort of warning signs should you be looking out for?

  • Seeing boats moored up in strange or isolated places or at strange times
  • Boats unloading scared or suspicious people, or unloading packages
  • People making attempts to signal or guide boats offshore
  • People putting objects into waterways near bridges or marinas
  • People loitering with no sense of purpose, and/or acting nervously
  • People taking an interest in port security or buildings - maybe taking pictures or videos, or trying to gain access to staff-only or restricted areas

  • People taking an interest in security or sensitive buildings
  • People being somewhere they shouldn’t be
  • Nervous crew who shows a lack of experience
  • People making a large cash payment for equipment
  • Unattended baggage or vehicles
  • People entering or exiting vehicles as stowaways

  • Nervous crew who show a lack of maritime protocols
  • Boats showing signs of unusual modification or minor damage
  • People making a large cash payment for maritime equipment
  • People charting or hiring boating making unusual requests
  • Someone accessing areas that they shouldn’t be

  • Planes landing in unusual places or at unusual times
  • Packages being dropped from low-flying aircraft or suspicious deliveries
  • Someone taking an unusual interest in airport security
  • Someone where they shouldn’t be
  • Seeing someone flying a drone close to an airfield or airport
  • An aircraft that has been unusually modified
  • A person being evasive about passengers, flights or routes
  • A person ignoring aviation regulations or filing misleading or false general aviation reports or flight plans
  • Items being handled suspiciously or concealing cargo

You know your neighbourhood, your route to work, the parks, shops and places you often visit, better than anyone. You can help by:

  • Remaining vigilant for anything out of the ordinary or that doesn’t seem to fit with day-to-day life. Action Counters Terrorism – find out what to look out for and how to keep yourself and others safe.
  • Report anything that doesn’t feel right. Any piece of information could be important, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, it is better to be safe and report it.

What can you do to help stop the criminals behind it?

In an emergency, or if a crime is happening now, always call 999.

If you’ve spotted any of the warning signs that you may have witnessed a crime, or know details about the criminals behind one, you can speak up with information 100% anonymously to the UK Border Watch reporting service, powered by Crimestoppers. 

The kind of details that could help:

  • Who is committing the crime? Even if you don’t have a name, any details about the person/people, such as what they look/sound like, or the make, model or reg number of any vehicles they use is really helpful. 
  • When and where did you see something criminal or suspicious? Again, it’s OK if you don’t have all the precise details, but anything about the location or time could be useful. 
  • What did you see/what do you know? The more descriptive you can get about what you’ve seen, know, or suspect the better, as the clearer the info is, the more helpful it will be to help authorities build the bigger picture. 

We know how scary speaking up can be – you don’t want anyone to find out you said anything. That’s why we’re powering the UK Border Watch reporting service. Call free, 24/7, on 0800 011 3304 or head to the simple online form, and help make a difference in keeping our coastline crime-free.

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