AIBU to wonder if this is a threat? and if so...

[Trapper]

What is it threatening him about?

One of my team at work (new to the UK) returned home last night to find a handwritten note stuffed under his door which simply said

"£1,000 fine and a criminal record? Now that's something to write home about!"

That was it, no explanation or anything. He is worried about it and I have advised him to log it with the police in case it is the start of some kind of harassment campaign (not expecting them to do anything at this stage, but at least there will be an audit trail).

He and I are both at a loss as to what this could possibly relate to. He claims to be quiet (and I have no reason to doubt this) and does not have a car. I wonder whether the 'something to write home about' is some kind of reference to him being new to the UK?

The odd thing is, the phrase looks familiar and I'm wondering if it has been used in some kind of advertising/awareness campaign in the past? I've done an internet search, but cannot find anything.

AIBU to advise him to report this and think it is threatening? Or coudl there be an entirely innocent explanation?

Only thing Google throws up is fare dodging in London.

This sounds to me like the television licence evasion penalties - but can't think why you colleage would get a handwritten note,of all the things you might accuse a neighbour of I can't see how you'd know if they had a TV licence.
And anything official would be,well,official...

I had a weird note once and I called the police. It turned out someone locally was mentally ill and had posted dozens of them...tell your friend to inform the police.

TV licence?
Perhaps the idiot who wrote it thinks your friend has a car?
No driving licence?
Not paying train fare?
Not providing information for electoral register?

Has someone seen him not picking up his dog's mess perhaps?

'Now that's something to write home about' is a pretty commonplace phrase and not, in my view, one to be concerned about.

I can see that he might be upset but I think the strong likelihood is that he's either the subject of a mistake or from someone in the neighbourhood who has some bee in their bonnet.

As you advised, let him log it with the police just in case and then forget about it.

Log it with the police.

Keep the log number handy, so if there are further developments then it is far easier to communicate the problem.

Maybe someone believes he is an immigrant who is working illegally?

Log it with the police. Then just forget about it. If it happens again report it again and you'll be building a nice little paper trail against the perpetrator. If it doesn't happen again, great.

Can you get a criminal record for not having a TV license? If he's new here, it could be that the author of the note is trying to blackmail/ threaten the previous tenant of your colleague's home. I'd tell the police, though.

Sounds like someone thinks he's a working here illegally.

Definitely report it and if there is anything untoward going on, the police will have a record of the incidents.

immigrationmatters.co.uk/romanian-fined-1000-for-working-illegally.html
I'm guessing some muppet is thinking along these lines.

He should report it to the police.

Report it, most likely some ukip curtain twitcher has put 2 and 2 together and arrived at eleventy.