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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:
Nicknacky · 08/09/2017 23:06

Op did you read my earlier question? The initial incident being closed doesn't necessarily mean it won't be allocated for enquiry.

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 08/09/2017 23:07
  • it is as previous poster said very unlikely the officer dealing would know all the rules and regs about this. It's a pretty specific field and with the advent of programmes like CSI some officers can get a bit over ambitious as to what can be achieved. It's not malicious and better than being jaded and not giving a shit
Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:08

What's the new legislation?

OP posts:
Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:12

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

Phone left either on passenger seat or more likely on the floor in front.

Realised my phone was not on me. Went back to car and they had smashed the car up and taken the phone.

OP posts:
Scrumptiousbears · 08/09/2017 23:12

It's not new it's the current legislation and whilst it's been tweaked it's been in for donkeys years.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:12

Yes but what section or subsection

OP posts:
Ginorchoc · 08/09/2017 23:14

Smashed your car up for a phone! Do you mean phone was on view and someone smashed a window and stole it?

Maskoff · 08/09/2017 23:14

Yes they are. I'm sorry this happened to you I think you may be able to request it for a fee like ten pounds

Chunkamatic · 08/09/2017 23:15

Was it a police officer or PCSO you spoke to? Or was this over the phone?
I work for the police and I'm surprised you were told they'd track. Sounds like you've been misinformed which is really shit when you've been a victim of crime.
Did they ask about CSI coming to take a look at your vehicle?

Ginorchoc · 08/09/2017 23:15

RIPA and associated HRA legislation only applies to surveillance operations and not anything to do with a knocked phone from a car.

Ginorchoc · 08/09/2017 23:16

*knicked

Ginorchoc · 08/09/2017 23:17

Poxy phone, nicked. It's just an insurance job op, annoying though!!

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 08/09/2017 23:17

There's no new legislation - sorry I do t know if I've confused matters somehow.

The legislation that surrounds these matters is, last I knew, woefully outdated. But, normal officer on the beat probably wouldn't have dealt with it much and may have received barely any training about the topic.

Policing is a really broad field with tons of topics to know, many of which change constantly. With the current workload of frontline officers I would imagine it's borderline impossible to know the specifics of everything and a little knowledge can be worse than none at all sometimes I'm afraid.

DereksGotATail · 08/09/2017 23:18

You was given the wrong information to start with. The police would never track your phone in the instance. I suspect that the incident has been allocated to an officer to deal with your case slow time.
You could make a complaint and your original call would be listened to, if the wrong information was given out then the call taker needs advising.

Scrumptiousbears · 08/09/2017 23:19

Acquisition and disclosure of communications data 21(4)(a)

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 08/09/2017 23:19

Ginorchoc, if your talking phone work, especially fast time then it very much applies.

Ginorchoc · 08/09/2017 23:22

?

NoProblemForMe · 08/09/2017 23:24

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

Your OP is rather confusing. Posted at 9.55pm with the words "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)"

Apologies for not being psychic and divining the actual timescales.

"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."

I hope you weren't this fucking snippy with the Police OP.

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:29

In this section “traffic data”, in relation to any communication, means—
(a)any data identifying, or purporting to identify, any person, apparatus or location to or from which the communication is or may be transmitted,

I'm either really tired/drained or possibly just thick but I'm still not sure how that applies to police will not track a stolen phone.

OP posts:
AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 08/09/2017 23:30

RIPA Ginorchoc

Nicknacky · 08/09/2017 23:30

Op. Trust me. They will not track your stolen phone.

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:31

Your OP is rather confusing. Posted at 9.55pm with the words "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 meant the incident of the phone being stolen was (roughly) an hour before I called the police.

OP posts:
Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:33

Op. Trust me. They will not track your stolen phone.

The thing is I never expected them to. All I wanted to do was report it and get a crime reference number.

You would just assume that the crime that happened to me is very common and therefore the information given out on what can and can't be done would be correct.

OP posts:
Scrumptiousbears · 08/09/2017 23:34

To track your mobile you need to know the location of it. Trust me. This is the section they would have to use to do it and your crime DOES NOT fit the criteria.

I'm sorry you were lead down the garden path but either way they will not do it for what must be criminal damage/theft from motor vehicle.

The fact is the people you have been speaking to cannot possibly be expected to know every single piece of legislation and that's why they have such specialist departments to deal with specifics.

Original poster
SonLuxAW · 08/09/2017 23:54

I've never said that they should! All I've said is it's a crime that they must deal with on a daily basis so you'd assume the majority would generally know what's involved and what happens in these cases. That's all.

OP posts: