Should I tell the police?

[PonyPals]

This is more of what would you do..
So my dad is in construction and he started a job today where he has to replace a floor in a garage.
Whilst ripping up the floor he found a semi hidden door behind a big mirror that was hanging up on a wall at the very back of the garage.
The door was half the normal size and when he looked in he saw that it was a small space with no windows but a mattress a tv and a book. It also had a vent leading out of it and the tube was across the garage roof.. we think for air (does that makes sense?)
So what do you think the room could be for?
Client is a man maybe in his 70s. Lives alone.
Should we report this to the police or are we letting our imagination run away?

I don't know what some on this thread think the police are going to do. Round here they don't bother with actual crimes like someone waving a knife around in public and threatening people.
On second thoughts, do phone them OP. They could do with a laugh.

I do wonder why most people here say to go to the police. It's a spare room ffs! It's not even remotely forbidden to have an extra room! Bit weird to leave it unused maybe, but not forbidden 🤷🏼‍♀️

😂😂😂

This has got to be the most ridiculous thread I've seen in a long time. Reporting someone to the police over a den that doesn't even have a lock.

Does seem weird due to air vent tv mattress

I would report to police just incase

He may have been married and is now a widower and back in the day, he went there with some videos to have some 'quiet' time alone. Which is much more likely than some Frizl sex dungeon.

I haven't had time to read through all the replies, has anyone suggested that possibly this man is renting this small space to someone? It sounds far-fetched given how basic it is, but I am a former TV documentary producer and about 8 years ago I worked on a pitch about the 'Beds in Sheds' issue and it's incredibly common across the country.

We followed a council housing department as they went around my city busting people for illegally renting out small spaces exactly like this (often to recent migrants or refugees). They were often in garages, sheds or outbuildings, had very rudimentary facilities, mattresses on the floor, unsafe electric supply, and were sometimes insulated against cold or to prevent heat escape that could alert the council to someone living there. The council we worked with had recently commissioned a heat profile aerial survey of the city to check if heat was coming from outbuildings and whether they were registered for council tax. There were dozens and dozens of this kinds of setup in probably a 3 mile radius.

The facts seem to support this theory:

• The space seems to have been recently used or at least is clean and not dusty.
• Efforts have been taken to hide the room, but the owner is clearly not too concerned about tradespeople coming across it. I'm pretty sure if I were trying to hide criminal activity I wouldn't invite someone to dig up the floor right next to it. I'd probably try and re-lay the floor myself. :) But hiding it from council housing inspectors would be handy.
• The air-con unit suggests that someone is spending quite a lot of time in there, so probably sleeping, and the air con may have been installed during this summer's heatwave.
• The silver foil is probably the owner's attempt at providing some warmth or could again even actually have been put up in the heat wave. We did the same with foil survival blankets on all the south facing windows in our house in the heatwave. Yes it made our house look like a weed farm, but it kept it nice and cool! :)
• It would be a pretty rubbish nuclear bunker with an air pipe to the outdoors. Mmm, breathe in all that lovely fallout!

Reporting a room in someone's house without any evidence of criminal activity seems a bit OTT, but your dad could anonymously inform the local authority that he suspects a 'bed in shed' scenario and they'll send someone around to check. Did you know that loyal authority housing officers are legally allowed to enter a home to inspect housing conditions? It is an offence to stop them but they have to give 24 hours notice.

Then, if the housing officer sees anything untoward they can take it from there and work with police if necessary.

Very plausible explanation and reporting this, if that is what it is to the council could have the effect of making someone homeless. Regardless of the condition of those place it would no doubt be very cheap compared to accommodation that met the legal requirement and by reporting this could end up with someone living on the streets or in a tent in the woods or some such like. I couldn't personally have that on my conscience so would leave well alone.

Could it be the kind of room you’d lock away a woman or a child and use to keep them out of sight and ear. For the man to then access when he wished for abuse?

Unlikely given there is no lock on the door!

On the other hand it could be used by people smugglers to hide trafficked people and victims of modern slavery or even for terrorists to hide. Not everyone has good intentions it should be reported.

Terrorists, smugglers, slaves, an abuse den... This really has got some people's imaginations fired up.
If there's no sign of illegal activity I doubt the police would be interested - On what grounds could they get a warrant?

I've just asked a friend who would know. Definitely don't mention it to the owner (in case it is suspicious and he may turn aggressive) and do report to the police.

Thanks.. this is what we are thinking

Is it a flat screen TV or a CRT?

I just can't think of any good reason for having something like that. If someone needed a panic room, they would have locks on it from the inside. If someone was keeping another person locked up in there, there would be a lock on the outside.

Does the guy know that your dad has found the room?

If I was your dad I would tell the boss that I’d gone to get materials and then park a couple of roads away and sneak back and put my feet up in the room and text to say I will be awhile as I’m stuck in traffic!

Has this not been reported to the police yet? What are you waiting for Op?

Not sure what a CRT is but it is an old style tv

No, he wants to finish the job first

CRT - Cathode Ray Tube. The way old TVs worked.

So it's well maintained and kept in good order but the TV hasn't worked in 12 years.

Doesn't stack up

Cable television networks began simulcasting in 2004 and analog cable services were switched off in April 2007.

That makes it 15 years - that said it is attached to a built-in VCR so it might have been used solely for that. My porn theory - him being a widower and squirrelling himself away for quiet time is my guess. That or a troll post !