Mad! I nearly started swearing !

[JBee123]

Right lets get one thing straight.

 

Leaving a rod unattended is not a criminal offence.

 

Under the law its an offence but not a criminal one, its in the same category as speeding and parking violations. It will not get the offender a criminal record hence it is not a crime.

 

Not demeaning this in any way but our police are hard pressed enough as is.

 

Think about the quoted figures for the amount of Metropolitan police, currently 30000 full time officers. Sounds a lot doesnt it.

 

Then think about this, 4 shifts of 8 hours(1 on break).

 

So at any one time there are aproximately 7000 police officers on duty. Take off another 10% for sickness and holidays and you are left with 6500 police officers on duty at any one time.

 

6500 officers covering a quoted population of 7,465,100 people.

 

Works out at approx 1 officer per 1150 persons.

 

With crime figures as they currently are, and the insistance of the government to push community police officers with no powers of arrest is it any wonder that offences such as the above are laughed at.

 

If every offence that is reported is dealt with and recorded and an offence takes roughly 3 hours at a time to record because of the reams of red tape that these people have to go through is it any wonder that you were laughed at for reporting an unattended fishing rod?

 

I hope your house isnt burgaled and that when you report the "crime" that the police have enough people to deal with the job and that they are not all down walking the local toepath looking for Burping, noisey yobs.

 

They are at the end of the day Human beings, they are doing a very difficult job. Rightly so you were laughed at for reporting an offence such as this.

 

Wasting police time is a criminal offence. In this case I think you are the criminal.

[gozzer]

While I can see your point in how stretched the police force is JB, The London Metropolitan Area is hardly a fair comparison to Ferrets village of just over 9,000 people.

 

As I've said before, it's not the unattended rod that would be the main interest, but the police like to know about areas where possible trouble could start, and a local 'bobby' looking in on the spot on his rounds, could prevent a more serious crime. That's why Neighbourhood Watch schemes were started, so the public could liase with the police on matters like this.

[JBee123]

While I can see your point in how stretched the police force is JB, The London Metropolitan Area is hardly a fair comparison to Ferrets village of just over 9,000 people.

 

Its exactly the same all over the country. not enough police to go around.

 

I point out again. Who is the one causing the trouble here, the one taking the law into his own hands and shouting across to those that have left the rods, or those that left the rods in the first place.

 

not saying that he should ignore it, and its a sad state of affairs, but had he just walked passed and ignored the fact then no trouble could have started.

 

Informing the police and then reporting the officer again, Ferrets fault. Should have informed the EA who will be more inclined to deal with the problem.

 

Would you report a traffic offence if you saw one? No why because its the job of the traffice warden.

 

Just as this was more likely to be the job of the local Baliff or the EA not the overstretched police.

 

Sorry, I dont care what way you dress this up. This is a non issue reported by an old busy body with nothing better to do than waste valuable police time!

[gozzer]

That's not the advice I've had from the police round our way, If you see some thing report it, they would rather know what's going on in the area, no matter how trivial it may seem. If there were a few more "busy bodies" and less peeping through the curtains and ignoring things, then the police would be more aware.

 

As for bailiffs well there's enough been said on here already.

[Ian FG]

I would like to point out to anyone who would like to see things from their side of the fence, The Special Constabulary are now recruiting.

[corydoras]

While I can see your point in how stretched the police force is JB, The London Metropolitan Area is hardly a fair comparison to Ferrets village of just over 9,000 people.

I hate to be pedantic and stray off topic but 9,000 inhabitants makes for one pretty big village, no?

[gozzer]

I hate to be pedantic and stray off topic but 9,000 inhabitants makes for one pretty big village, no?

 

 

When anyone on here says that they hate to be pedantic, they mean they love it

 

 

I looked it up and they call themselves a village, so who am I to argue?

[Ian FG]

I love to be pedantic and population size has little to do with it, some villages are bigger than some towns, some towns are bigger than some cities.

 

A collection of houses is a hamlet, to be a village you need a church, to be a town you need a town hall and a mayor and to be a city you need a cathedral and a bishop.

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Those who think its a non issue of course WONT be calling the plod if a gang of youths beat them up and steal their gear whilst fishing will they?

 

Those saying the incident shouldnt be reported have missed the point IMO........most criminals start with petty law breaking and work their way up. Zero tolerance of petty crime may well prevent many developing into more serious villains.

 

Can't believe this thread is still rumbling on though!!!

[Guest Ferret1959]

Can't believe this thread is still rumbling on though!!!

 

I'll second that.

Even when I tried to explain in an earlier post that the police backed me, the EA backed me and a fair few adult and responsible anglers on here backed me some one who knows very little about me and the law had to have a go.

 

I maybe getting old and have nothing better to do but law breaking is law breaking, I have the choice to be selective what I report and anything to do with fishing law breakers will get reported everytime.I have a passion for fishing and respect the laws that go with it.

 

Am I wrong in expressing my rights?

Edited March 8, 2006 by Ferret1959