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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to believe that this is a crime? The police say no

81 replies

powertoyourelbow · 03/05/2025 08:41

Name change for this as outing. Person A drives into person B’s driveway. Person B drives into drive some time later. Person B sees person A and tries to reverse out to leave as they are frightened of person A. Person A jumps out of their car and opens person B’s driver door. Turns off their engine and takes keys and returns to their own car. Person B is too scared to runaway . Person B Calls 999. Police treat this as an emergency and come as blue light. They negotiate with person A and get car keys back and give them to person b person B leaves . No charges brought against person A. Police say this is not a crime.

AIBU to believe that this must be a crime?

OP posts:
ScaryM0nster · 03/05/2025 09:01

What crime do you think A committed?

Having someone else’s car keys for a short period of time?

The police aren’t there to sort out acrimonious break ups.

SapporoBaby · 03/05/2025 09:00

If they returned the keys and they didn’t take the car then it’s not theft. It’s also not taking a vehicle without consent because it was only the keys not the car.

Id say it was intimidation or harassment but it doesn’t fit the bill for theft, assault etc

Mooselooseinmyhoose · 03/05/2025 08:59

Former criminal barrister here. Context is missing and that is key. There's potentially a public order offence if the behaviour was threatening as it was carried out.

There's also potentially common assault fear of violence if the behaviour put person B in fear they would be hit.

It the car or keys were damaged there's a theoretical criminal damage. But it doesn't sound like they were.

It's not illegal to open someone's car door and remove their keys if you don't intend to keep the keys. If you intended to keep the keys you could have a theft charge.

If this is a person that Person B has had issues with before the incident could in theory be part of a harassment charge.

There needs to be more info before anyone could meaningful comment. But all the possibilities are low level charges unless there's an ongoing harassment situation and all are extremely context specific.

friendsonly · 03/05/2025 08:58

Depends on a lot of factors but considering the police came, sorted it out and have more information but considered it not a crime, I would say it must not be.
what do you think person a should be charged with?

Original poster
powertoyourelbow · 03/05/2025 08:56

Sort of… Person B is related to someone who was in a relationship with person A that had broken down

OP posts:
SafeguardingSocialWorker · 03/05/2025 08:53

Is it a domestic abuse situation?