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?

Erm they had TV's during WW2.... TV's came out in the 1930s.

How embarrassing for you! 🙊

It’s probably fine, but report it anyway (after you’ve finished the job and been paid). The police aren’t going to go round making a fuss, but they will note it on a file and it might fit together with other information. If eg a neighbour reported screams in the night, but a police visit found only one happy man living there when they came round… Then knowing where the secret room is located would obviously be essential.

There is a tiny but real chance it’s used to house a kidnap victim who’s currently elsewhere.

Definitely take pictures and report it. For anyone saying this isn’t a police matter, well the police are the ones who can decide if it’s a police matter or not. For all we know the guy could be on a register or has previous. Which is only information that the police would know. Even if not, I’d imagine a good police force would just have a casual call out and ask a few questions.

Absolutely no harm in mentioning it. If the man's been under suspicion it may solve a case.

Fucking hell people will soon start reporting others to the police for sneezing.

Unless there was a person there or something that was a red flag I’d stay well out

Ar e people on the sex offender register not allowed little rooms? I’m not being facetious- but why would this be disallowed?

You read my mind!

Surely if it was something sinister though the owner would just have a padlock on the door so no one could see inside? I'm sure if I had a room like that my DH or children would want to turn it into a man cave or den.

This is key.

They were still quite rare until the 50s and a set from the 1930s would look quite different and be worthy of comment. As in 'He found an enormous ancient TV in there.'.

Ooh I missed that it was a garage floor.

Do garages have floors that aren’t just concrete?!

Erm they had TV's during WW2.... TV's came out in the 1930s

Actually very few people had a TV then in the UK. Most people got a TV in the 1950s, or 1960s even.

Why would he replace the floor if there were bodies under there? They’d be discovered surely.

Also, if the property or the owner have ever been of interest to the police I’m sure they’d have found the room.

In what world is a small hidden room with a mattress, TV and book not a sign of something untoward?

OP, I’d report it. Hopefully there is an innocent explanation but it’s better to be sure.

I’m sorry but single man in his 70s with a room as described does sound strange

OP said he lived alone, not that he was single. If he's divorced or widowed he may have children now in their 20s, 30s or 40s who were teenagers not so long ago.

He’s not gone to any effort to lock it, so it’s hardly something suspicious that he wants to keep secret..

I absolutely would be reporting this to the police and wouldnt give a shit if he knew it was me. A hidden door with a matress, an air vent, tv and a book screams kidnapping victims have been in there at some point. I think the way to think about it is, that's not normal and it's exactly what you hear of in alot of kidnapping cases where the victims have been held for months or years. I wouldn't be looking for blood, scratch marks etc, that's the job of the police. They will also be able to swab the room for dna and match the swabs to their database.

If someone on a sex offender register had a secret room with only a bed in it, the police would definitely want to know! How in earth could you think this wasn’t relevant? You aren’t the police. They would be having a word for sure and keeping a very, very close eye as it is a red flag. Red flags are warnings. Warnings are to be taken seriously.

And what is the downside to telling the police? Absolutely none. What is the downside to NOT telling the police - possible harm to others. It’s a no brainer really.

In what world is a small hidden room with a mattress, TV and book not a sign of something untoward?

In a world where there are bomb shelters, where teenagers make dens, or where someone wants to hide, have a panic room or quiet space.

I’d take a picture. Put the mirror back. Report and let the police decide.

@Greyarea12

I know someone who made a room similar to this for their teen boy - so he could play his drums without making too much noise or suffocating without windows

Well I disagree there no harm.

If this elderly man does in fact just have this space for a teenager, or a panic room or whatever, it would be incredibly distressing to have police snoop about round his house implying all sorts.

Because he's dug the floor up to put the bodies in and now wants to cement them in... trust me, I have a PHD in True Crime documentaries 😂

The house was only built in the 1930s. Under usual circumstances a 1930s and 1950s TV would be quite useless if you wanted to actually, you know, watch TV.

Wrong proximity to be any bloody use as an air raid or nuclear bunker!

Honestly I’m not one for calling the police over anything I’m really not, but as someone who listens almost exclusively to true crime podcasts then yes I would. Make a call, report it, and if nothing comes from it nothing comes from it. I’ve heard missing person stories that have turned corners on things as small as someone reporting clothes they’ve found on the side of the road.

I’m concerned that people think that you only contact the police or social services about anything if you have complete, obvious undeniable proof that a big crime has been committed.

That isn’t right, we should always pass on suspicious or alarming activities, as the police or social services have confidential records and we never know if our piece of information is building up a picture. They are also trained to interview and follow up to see if there really is an issue or not. In a way that we as the public are not trained. It is why abuse and crimes can go on for so long and people think ‘well someone should have noticed something’. People usually do notice something, but don’t report.

it’s also why both the police and social services both have confidential reporting lines and actively encourage people to report suspicious activity. They want us to report these kinds of things. They can follow up and decide if there really is something there or not. Not us.