[news] London Police 'Steal' From Unlocked Cars

[6Foot2]

I don't live in London or work there [any more] however this item may be of interest to some.

 

Article: Link

[TechMonkey]

I'm in two minds about this. Part of me thinks "cheeky gets!" but the other half thinks better them then a thief & maybe the owner will think. It is almost returning the police to things they used to do (no not corruption and theft you cynics), checking on property & making the neccesary calls if they found a problem.

 

Hell it is what we do here sometimes, obviously not with peoples cars, but have done with laptops, cameras & a projector.

[korifugi]

I actually got in trouble last time I 'rescued' a laptop from the middle of an open classroom, with no-one around..

 

I just said 'fine - I'll just leave it to get nicked next time then shall I?'

 

They strangely went quiet...

[GrumbleDook]

I used to do this when in the forces as people would leave their doors unlocked in the barracks even after repeated warnings (working as Regimental Police at the time).

 

I had one bloke trying to call the MOD police to arrest me for theft, who promptly came over ... pointed out that I had left a note informing the dipwit that the kit was now in the RSMs office waiting to be collected ... and that it wasn't theft.

 

Dipwit then proceeds to get all gobby, threatens to bring the Civvy Bill in since "MOD Plod and a glorified car park attendant know bugger all about the law", and is promptly nicked on a disorder charge and subsequently also put on Orders for conduct unbecoming...

 

In short ... Theft is the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another, with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it. Thief and steal shall be construed accordingly.

 

In all of these scheme (testing of unlocked doors on houses, removing valuable goods from cars for safekeeping) there usually is a high-profile campaign to go with it, letting people know that the police will be ding this *as part of their duties*. There have already been some complaints about it and claims of infringements on the rights of people to leave things where they want ... and yes, they have the right to be complete muppets if they so choose ... but when stuff does get pinched I hope that when they go to the police that get done for wasting police time!

 

[/rant]

[MkII]

And a good rant too