To think this is unbelievably shit from the police?

[TheLostDiadem]

Six weeks ago my elderly mum had her house burgled while she was asleep upstairs. Not a lot of valuable things were taken as she doesn’t really have much but my (deceased) dad’s medals were taken, her laptop, a box of jewellery belonging to my grandma was taken and her cat was found downstairs with a broken rib where we assume he was kicked (but obviously can’t be certain it was the burglar).

She phoned the local police number and was told to report it online. I came round to do it and help her tidy up and make sure she was ok etc. 48hrs later and still heard nothing from the police so I called them to be told they were incredibly busy and responses can take up to a week. Finally, 8 days after being robbed my mum gets an answer phone message from the police saying they’ve received her report and given her a crime reference number so she can claim on insurance. If she has any further queries she can email them and they’ll get back to her. No enquiry, not welfare check, nothing. Just a crime reference number over a week later.

I live with my dc in the same town. In the garden of my house is an outhouse that is currently being renovated so that when my dm becomes less independent she can live there. It’s nearly finished and has been separated off from my house and has a separate entrance and drive. The electricity had finally been connected last week so last night I decided to do a sleep over there with dc, just for something to do. At 12.15 I was woken up by police hammering on the door. They immediately asked me my address and what I was doing there. I said I lived next door, was sleeping over with dc, had something happened, was dm ok as I assumed something bad had happened. They wouldn’t tell me anything just asked for proof of address. I said it was all next door and they demanded I go and get it. I wasn’t happy leaving dc alone with the police so had to wake them up and drag them over and back again while I got my driving license. It was only then that I realised they thought that I was breaking lockdown rules (very touristy area). I gave them driving license and got a lecture on how we weren’t supposed to leave home unless absolutely necessary, fancying a sleep over wasn’t necessary and I wasn’t to do it again. I asked if it was any different to camping in the garden and was that allowed, what possible harm am I doing sleeping in what is basically a garage and was asked “are you sure you want to do this? You have your children with you and I’m sure you don’t want a scene”. I found this genuinely quite frightening as it was two big, male police officers and I was alone with two young dc. They then left after telling me to make sure I stay at home from now on and that they wouldn’t take further action this time.

TLDR - my mum was burgled and police responded a week later with a crime reference number and nothing else

I slept in the converted garage in the garden with 2dc and was woken in the night by 2 police men to be lectured firmly about lockdown rules.

If I’m not being unreasonable do you think a complaint would be warranted? I’m one of those people who have never really had any dealings with the police and sort of assumed they’d be on my side. Really shocked at what I’ve experienced the 2 times I’ve actually dealt with them though.

[ummmmbop]

It doesn't matter that the nursery was closed. Unless they caused damage to enter and you saw and reported that at the same time, you weren't reporting a crime. Trespassing is not a crime. I'm just telling you the facts!

[EYProvider]

@ummmmbop - I’m sure it’s very comforting for all the parents on here who use a nursery to know that if a strange man walks in off the street, collapses in a drunken stupor in the playground and goes to sleep (which is what happened), the police won’t help.

Of course it’s a crime, don’t be so ridiculous. I bet you work for the Met, don’t you? Or the ASB department of the local council. Always on the side of the perpetrators, never the victims.

[ummmmbop]

No I don't work for either I'm not sure why you think I would. I think the OP had awful experiences with the police and the police were in the wrong on both occasions, but in response to your post, just because you don't like the answer doesn't make it a crime! Seriously, do some research! Trespassing is not a crime! The man asleep on a bench wasn't burgling! Burgling and trespassing are not the same! Get as angry as you like but in your case, you're directing your anger at the wrong people.. the police don't make the law!

[WhipperSnapperSteve]

@MadameButterface

when you hear about heavy handed lockdown policing, it's usually naice middle-class women like you op, or the two women walking in Derbyshire while holding coffee. meanwhile in the scrotiest areas of my city, gangs of mainly young men are all congregating on street corners all night like it's just normal life, and no one seems to say boo to them. weird huh.

Same here, congregations of young men with alcohol and weed behaving like nothings changed and the police do nothing. Some members of the older local population have said they are scared to go past them and have essentially stayed cooped up indoors for months now and despite many reports to the police there hasn't been a single one, even a PCSO coming to deal.

[Keepcountingyourfingers]

[quote EYProvider]@ummmmbop - I’m sure it’s very comforting for all the parents on here who use a nursery to know that if a strange man walks in off the street, collapses in a drunken stupor in the playground and goes to sleep (which is what happened), the police won’t help.

Of course it’s a crime, don’t be so ridiculous. I bet you work for the Met, don’t you? Or the ASB department of the local council. Always on the side of the perpetrators, never the victims.[/quote]
She’s not being ridiculous. It’s not a crime. It might be an occasion where you want the Police to come and remove the man, but it’s not a crime, as in a crime that would be recorded as such.

As for the Met they’ve always had a reputation for being shit amongst other forces. Like any profession though there are dedicated and hardworking officers, just as there are knobheads. That goes for teachers, doctors, shops workers etc etc.

[EYProvider]

@Keepcountingyourfingers - You are going down a dangerous path here if you start looking to justify the police not intervening in a situation like this, involving a nursery.

For goodness sake.

[CrunchyBiscs]

People don't realise that human rights belong to everyone - drunks, drug addicts, troublesome groups of youths.
If a crime is reported the police should investigate - I doubt they can justify not investigating without breaking the requirements of their job. But if someone falls asleep on the ground it isn't a crime.

In the past I think police took drunks and chucked them in the cells to sober up, that would have been pre human rights legislation I think.

[CrunchyBiscs]

Just looked up the law
There is no general prohibition on drinking in the street but certain offences relating to alcohol may be committed in public places. Councils can use public spaces protection orders to restrict the consumption of alcohol in a public space where it is associated with anti-social behaviour.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05117/
Contact your MP if you don't like the laws.

[EYProvider]

@CrunchyBiscs - it wasn’t in the street. It was in the nursery playground.

[CrunchyBiscs]

I was thinking about the gangs of youths.
Did someone say teh nursery wasn't being used? If that's the case I would think that's why nothing was done.
If in use you would need to report something - eg drunk swearing and staggering around children. Then they'd come.

[ummmmbop]

@EYProvider the fact is your opinion is completely irrelevant... your opinion has no weighting on the fact that there was no crime for the police to attend!! I don't know why you don't understand this?!!! It's be explained very politely and clearly several times!!!

[Nith]

Of course it’s a crime, don’t be so ridiculous. I bet you work for the Met, don’t you? Or the ASB department of the local council. Always on the side of the perpetrators, never the victims.

So exactly what crime is it, @EYProvider?

[EYProvider]

@Nith - Entering someone else’s property without permission, I would say - unless you think it’s OK for a strange man to stagger into your child’s nursery playground (or your garden come to that), clutching a bottle of whiskey and go to sleep.

This is a stupid conversation - I can’t believe I’m even engaging with you. But it makes sense that people would think this was OK - I mean the police were only interested in the welfare of the intruder. I’m just a bit taken aback that anyone would try to defend this on Mumsnet.

[StanfordPines]

[quote EYProvider]@Nith - Entering someone else’s property without permission, I would say - unless you think it’s OK for a strange man to stagger into your child’s nursery playground (or your garden come to that), clutching a bottle of whiskey and go to sleep.

This is a stupid conversation - I can’t believe I’m even engaging with you. But it makes sense that people would think this was OK - I mean the police were only interested in the welfare of the intruder. I’m just a bit taken aback that anyone would try to defend this on Mumsnet.[/quote]
It’s not ok, but it isn’t against the law.

[Fatarseflanagan09]

I was followed by two men and threatened, I was terrified and ran to a nearby house, the old couple living there called the police and escorted me home, a policeman eventually came and said an officer would come the next day and take a statement, nobody turned up.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

I would say - unless you think it’s OK for a strange man to stagger into your child’s nursery playground (or your garden come to that), clutching a bottle of whiskey and go to sleep. I came home one night to find a young man confused and semi-comatose curled up on my driveway at the side of the house. It never occurred to me to call the police. Mt only concern was it was a shared driveway, and to get him to move somewhere where he was less likely to be hit by a car.

I really don't want a society where the misfits and strugglers are criminalised simply for being somewhere.

[MercyBooth]

twitter.com/andrewlawrence/status/1366302475767152643?s=20