VOLUNTEER police officers will go shopping in Chester-le-Street for recruits this weekend.
On Saturday "specials" will man a mobile display stand in the car park at the St Cuthbert's Walk Shopping Centre from 10am to 4pm.
The Chester-le-Street and Durham division is looking to boost its strength of 25 unpaid bobbies.
Potential recruits must be aged 18 years and six months and pledge to perform 200-hours duty a year.
The special constables manning the display stand will answer questions about their role and will be handing out leaflets about free security marking for mobile phones.
Divisional officer Dave Million, a special for 11 years, said: "The postcode marking provides a quick and easy way of returning a mobile to its rightful owner if it is stolen.
"Last year throughout Durham and Chester-le-Street alone more than 700 phones were reported lost of stolen so you can see the scale of the problem."
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