WIBU to have called 101 over this?

[LovelyWench223]

I had to nip to the shops about an hour ago to get some migraine tablets (the joys) and when walking back saw a group of teenagers (13-15) stood behind the shops with a small fire going.

As another group of kids walked past two of them set fire to some newspaper and started chasing the other children with it. They ran off and we're not injured.

I debated for a while and called 101 to report this however the police officer who answered the phone was less than helpful.

He told me the fire would probably go out by itself and as nobody had actually been hurt it wasn't really a matter for the police.

He made me feel like an absolute time waster for calling but I wasn't sure what else to do.

So AIBU to expect the police to help prevent crime as well as just dealing with the repercussions?

Yanbu.

YANBU. However the call won't have been answered by a police officer, it will have been a civilian call handler. Like most jobs you occasionally get the odd crap one.

Yanbu but I would have called the fire brigade and explained fully to them.

Then a) they would be alerted that there may be another call soon if the fire had spread b) if they weren't horribly busy the may have decided to go and have a serious word about random fire starting

Yes Herenna you're right, my DP did call them when I got back in the house and told him. My sleep deprived, migraine brain didn't seem to be working at the time I made the call

Yanbu. Our local post office got burnt to the ground when teenagers lit a fire behind it for a laugh.

yanbu, I had a horrible experience with a 101 operator recently. You were right to call 101!

The 101 matey should have said that though his attitude was very lax.

You knew you should tell someone but didn't feel it was a 999 emergency.

There is no 101 for the fire brigade though.

I have had to call them for smoking bins a few times, if there are nearby shops open then I just report it to the nearest shop who will have extinguishers. If not the fire brigade is the only option even through its not YET an emergency. I'm pretty sure they would rather come and put out a tiny wee fire and bollock some kids than wait until the street was ablaze

You did the right thing

I would have definitely called 101. They are usually really helpful, I have called for small stuff such as kids swearing/loitering in the park at tea time when the little kids are still there and were scared, they came straight out. I was a bit embarrassed calling but was worried things could escalate.

I would imagine they would be pretty keen to hear something like that so probably just someone really crap answering unfortunately.

yanbu, it was kids larking about that set fire to a recycling bin, that spread to 5 other bins that spread to my fucking car. I don't believe anything malicious was ever intended but fire can spread very very quickly in the right conditions