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.

[LockdownIsDragging]

My main concern would be which of my neighbours noticed someone in your annex and complained to the police.

[DoubleTweenQueen]

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis Literally no-one agrees with you that this ridiculous alteration in police priorities is ok

[B3ttyBoop]

Yanbu. I thought most forces were trying to follow policing by consent, not intimidation. I can't see how you were in the wrong. you were yards away from your main house.

[justasking111]

You're not in n Wales are you, the police have gone nuts here,

[Trees123456789]

How awful for you all. There are quite a few stories / videos of unacceptable police treatment of the public at the moment. Such an eye-opener and so worrying.

I think you are well within your rights to complain. Also, perhaps consider contacting Anna Brees (independent journalist) on Facebook or Twitter to tell her your story. This sort of over the top policing of ordinary behaviour shouldn' be happening and needs to be highlighted. Hope you are all ok.

[rubixc]

It's disgusting op. This happened to us minus the burglary a few weeks ago. Ridiculous that if you need police assistance quick you're better off self reporting yourself for breaking lockdown. Whilst in our house they received a call of another suspected rule breaker and off they rushed.

I hope your DM is okay, does she live alone? If so you'd have been perfectly within the law bubble with her and enter her house.
Regardless how ridiculous to treat you like that when you were camping in a garage on your land to welfare check an elderly lady.

[ImnotCarolineHirons]

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis how the fuck is she breaking lockdown rules when she's sleeping in a conversion ON HER OWN PROPERTY?! It's in her own garden ffs!

[VaVaGloom]

Hope your Mum is ok. Shame your brush with the law has been a bad experience. I would have been very tempted to suggest they redirect themselves to your Mum's road!

[MrDarcysMa]

Ad be calling my local newspaper tbh

[Ihatemyseleffordoingthis]

I don't care if no-one agrees.

[MrDarcysMa]

I'd

[saywha]

YANBU

The first part is bad enough but it now seems to be the norm that break ins and burglary aren't followed up. I can't even understand the second part as you were on your own property? I hope you can make a complaint and at least get an explanation. IMHO they were in the wrong.

[islockdownoveryet]

Absolutely disgusting and I’m so sorry .
I’m not at all surprised at the burglary response but the other thing is shocking . I’ve passed comment on this sort of thing a few times that police won’t come out for a burglary but are suddenly available at alleged Covid breaches .
I mean how the hell did they know , did someone report you ? It’s hardly a crime it’s on your property so how can you be breaking the law it’s just the same as going in your garden .
I’d definitely report it .

[MadameButterface]

I think the take away from this is, if you wake up in the night and hear burglars, phone the police and tell them you're having an illegal rave.

[BlackCatShadow]

I think it has been like this with break-ins for a long time. I remember my boyfriend at university had similar problems with break-ins and the police refused to visit. He mentioned sleeping with a baseball bat and the police warned him that if he did that, he'd be in a lot of trouble. That was more than 20 years ago.

I'd be wary about complaining though. They might get vindictive. Just get your Ring doorbell installed and maybe drop a note around your neighbors explaining what you are doing.

[islockdownoveryet]

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

Sorry YABU
The issues are separate
And you were breaking lockdown rules thoughI don't think they should have spoken to you in that way or frightened you or your children.

How it’s her property, it’s not as if she’s gone to a 2nd home
I bet your the same person shouting stay the fuck home and telling people they shouldn’t be leaving the house at all ever .

[sunflowersandbuttercups]

That's all police do about burglaries - provide a crime number so you can make an insurance claim.

That's really not true.

My parents were burgled in the same circumstances - car stolen off the drive too. Police came round within an hour of being called, dusted for fingerprints and put an alert on the car and mums cards which were also stolen.

They tracked the cards and by doing so, tracked the criminals and found the car within 48 hours. It was smashed into a wall but they found all the stuff they'd stolen in the boot and my parents got it all back.

Not all police forces are useless.

[Keepitnerdy]

Back in 2011 my mum was burgled while she and my sister were asleep upstairs, luckily they slept through and the burglars stayed downstairs. We didn't have much they stole a psp, TV ,bill money, computer and a laptop and the home phone 🤣 the police came when my sister was at college so after searching the house and dusting for prints they were going to call to get hers later.

No surprise they never called and then said it wasn't necessary as they didn't find a match and they most likely wore gloves but this is the real kicker they didn't seem to notice a metal crowbar! Not one of them wandered why there was a crowbar by the back door or searched the area we found one of my mum's handbags in the alleyway next to the house which was a bit sad.

[gah2teenagers]

Definitely complain. This is disgusting. Happily hoping to hand out their fines coasting their way to full retirement at 50.

[Ihatemyseleffordoingthis]

@islockdownoveryet don't judge me by your own standards

[smellingofroses]

Please complain, like others upmost I used to have the upmost respect for police until we had 2 girls spend the night outside my front garden playing loud music, smoking pot and drinking bottles of beer and using my garden as a bin.
I had a new born baby and politely asked them to turn down the music as they kept waking her up, was told they were watching her boyfriends house up the street and to F off.
They kept at it for hours and clearly pissed drive up and down the street a few times to shout at the fella up the road ( presume ex fella ) after asking them a few more times to turn it down or move my husband went out out and not so kindly told them to piss off, they didn't they just got louder ( they are pissed by now and throwing bottles at house.
Luckily my ring door bell was recording because they then bang on the door and when my husband opened it bottled him.
He retaliated by pushing the girl away, I've phoned the police by now who arrive about 30 minutes later.
They speak to the girls outside who tell them my husband attacked them and punched one of them. They knock on my door and arrest my husband for assault Completely ignoring that both girls are smashed and stink of pot, all the beer bottles and the running vehicle that they are In charge of.
Despite my protests they take my husband away and not seen again for 24 hrs and leave the girls on my front who then spend the next few hours thinking the whole thing was hysterical.
My husband was issued a fine and an assault charge that we had to fight in court and luckily won.
Internal investigation was done and we got a shitty letter of apology stating the two officers were to be given further training, no apology for all the trouble caused.
I wouldn't be comfortable calling the police again after that.
As for your run in with them the officers should of been wearing body cameras so you will have a recording of the interaction you had with them. You can request that footage through complaints procedures to support you complaint.
I hope your mums ok xx

[lolulop]

Thank fuck most of then don't carry guns is all I can say

This

[lolulop]

As a senior police officer, do make a complaint, they are always dealt with by an Inspector, we don’t want a few giving us a bad name or poor service for anyone,

I hope things have changed but I know people who regretted complaining & I also knew officers who were against complaining re conduct of others.

[Yesmate]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but most forces now have bodycams as standard. Any compliant you make about the second incident and their heavy handed approach will be able to be seen almost instantly by the investigating team.
As for the burglary, that’s shit. No other explanation.
Personally, I would submit two delegate complaints. They aren’t linked in any way and trying to link them by one being responded to and one not weakens the argument.
I hope your DM is ok, being a victim of burglary is horrible.

[saraclara]

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

Sorry YABU
The issues are separate
And you were breaking lockdown rules thoughI don't think they should have spoken to you in that way or frightened you or your children.

It's part of her property! The outhouse is in her garden! How on earth is that breaking lockdown rules?