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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the police were useless?

62 replies

SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 21:55

I had my car smashed to pieces and my mobile phone stolen (fell out of my bag and didn't realise.)

They said to me they would pass the information to a specialist team to track the phone (incident happened within the last hour so may have been possible)

I called up after a few hours to find they closed the case and never bothered to attempt to track it.

I know I'm just a statistic and I wasn't holding much hope of getting back but they were the ones to say they would at least attempt to track it.

OP posts:
Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 21:57

I was also told I'd need to get evidence myself and then forward it to them.

Very much doubt the company I parked near would give me their CCTV ... surely the police need to request that themselves?

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 08/09/2017 22:04

What model of phone do you have?

AgentZigzag · 08/09/2017 22:09

'What model of phone do you have?'

About as helpful as the police.

Could be that it's Friday and they've got a lot on OP? I know it's pretty shit but it probably happens so often they can't be arsed spare the people to look into it?

The scrotes who did it know that.

Wankers.

Nicknacky · 08/09/2017 22:13

The reason for my question was to ask id op has an iPhone so may possibly have find my iPhone. Apologies if that isn't helpful.

Certainly in our area we will not triangulate a phone that has been stolen in this circumstance due to cost implications for one. Although I have no idea what specialist unit they have with technology that will track it.

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 22:13

iPhone and the tracker doesn't work unfortunately.

Just wish they never said they would track it when they clearly had no intension Sad

One of the people I spoke to was so snippy and clearly couldn't give a shit.

OP posts:
AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 08/09/2017 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nicknacky · 08/09/2017 22:21

Just having a think about the case being closed. Exactly what did they say?

Again in our area, once it is reported then the initial incident will be closed on the command and control centre but it will be sent to a local officer for enquiry but that wouldn't generally happen as quickly as the same night the theft happened on.

What did they say to you in relation to SOC etc?

nodogsinthebedroom · 08/09/2017 22:27

That's shit. I'd bet that the reason behind it is massive lack of resources and a gazillion other crimes to deal with rather that disinterest but I appreciate that that doesn't help you and they shouldn't have raised your hopes. For info, the "tracking" would almost certainly just mean logging into "find my iPhone" from the station iPad, so if the tracker isn't working then that wouldn't have been possible anyhow.

Crunchymum · 08/09/2017 22:29

If your phone fell out of your bag it was lost not stolen? Confused

clownfaces · 08/09/2017 22:29

If the incident 'happened within the last hour' how did you call up after a few hours? I'm confused. By smashed up, do you mean a collision?

HelenaDove · 08/09/2017 22:30

On the letters page of our local paper this week is an incensed letter about a case of car vandalism costing £600

Case was almost immediately closed.

The town council are considering funding for special constables

Crunchymum · 08/09/2017 22:32

Did the car and phone happen at same time?

LolaTheDarkdestroyer · 08/09/2017 22:33

If you didn't realise your phone had fallen out of your bag how do you know it was in the car?

NoProblemForMe · 08/09/2017 22:38

Why/how was your car smashed up and does that have any relation to the phone being stolen?

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 22:38

Sorry clearly didn't explain my OP well.

I left my phone on the car accidentally and then they smashed up my car to steal it.

Maybe they thought they had half a chance of being able to have that done to the phone, it is in theory possible-ish
What they failed to realise is that under surveillance guildelines that would only be done in very serious circumstances or when life is at risk. It would not have been something a normal bobby could do - it requires specific skills or applications to be made. It would be neither cost affective nor an appropriate use of powers in this instance I'm afraid.

You seem to know a lot about this. Do you work in this area?

Also please don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I didn't demand they track it. They specifically said they would. Surely my phone is not the only phone in my area to be stolen, so I made the assumption the person I made the statement to knew what they were talking about.

OP posts:
DJBaggySmalls · 08/09/2017 22:43

If a company has you on CCTV you can request a copy. they can charge you a small fee if they give you a hard copy.

www.gov.uk/request-cctv-footage-of-yourself

NoProblemForMe · 08/09/2017 22:44

Right, so you left your iphone (albeit accidentally) on view in your car. The car was broken into and your phone stolen; presumably they left the car.

To be honest I'm not surprised the Police don't see it as a priority on a Friday night.

Having said that, I hope the scumbags who did this are caught though, sadly, it's unlikely Sad

NC4now · 08/09/2017 22:44

I left my phone in my car and it was smashed and stolen in the 20 mins it took me to realise. When I went back there was a police car parked on the same street. The bobby told me to report it at the police station and get a crime number for the insurance.
That was 15 years ago when they weren't as strapped as they are now.
It's shit, really shit, but there just aren't the resources to investigate these things.

NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4 · 08/09/2017 22:52

Sounds like standard practice to me - however had your car been parked illegally at the time they would likely have sprung into action.

imnottoofussed · 08/09/2017 22:54

Shitty for them to give you false hope. They should have just said nothing they could do.

Nancy91 · 08/09/2017 22:59

That is a really crap thing to have happen. I hope you aren't too shaken up Flowers

Scrumptiousbears · 08/09/2017 23:02

OP under current legislation you cannot get a phone "tracked" for this type of crime. I agree the officers shouldn't have got your hopes up but it's highly likely that they were not specifically aware of the legislation so they weren't to know. They do now thought which of course is no help to you now.

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 08/09/2017 23:04

OP I used to.

And unfortunately as per previous posters I agree it is shit but there isn't really resources to treat all crimes with the same level of gravitas.

The service has to hold back funds for things like murder enquiries that regularly run into the a few hundred thousands, mass public disorder etc.

You may find enquiries may be made about the phone, if that type of crime is a priority and investigations are being specifically funded, in the long term. However it would never be done under these circumstances on a fast time basis

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:04

To be honest I'm not surprised the Police don't see it as a priority on a Friday night.

It wasn't night time. It was early this morning.

I'm also unsure why you presume to think I feel this should be a priority. As much as I wish it was, I'm really not that naive.

My aibu to mainly the fact that they told me they would attempt to track it. When I called back to get an update (my insurance excess is high so wanted to check before claiming for my phone) to then be told they hadn't tracked it and the incident was closed.

I feel it's unfair to give people false hope.

OP posts:
Ginorchoc · 08/09/2017 23:06

Car smashed to pieces and phone left on your car??