to report this to the police, even though I am technically implicating myself?

[Imperrysmum]

My local park is locked overnight and isn’t opened until 6am. It’s a huge park but in one area part of the fence is missing so I squeeze through and go into the park to walk my dog at 4am (he is an XL bully so I like to go the park when nobody is about)

The last few mornings when I have been walking round by the pond there have been a couple of men sitting on the benches next to the pond “feeding the ducks”. I noticed they have black bin liners next to them too. I’m pretty sure I recognise these men from working in a takeaway restaurant.

I am concerned they are trying to catch ducks. I hope i’m wrong, but I just can’t see why two adult men would sit feeding the ducks at 4am?! Especially as the park is officially closed and they have bin liners next to them.

AIBU to report this to the police, even though I’ll be implicating myself too?

Don't tell me, they are east Asian in appearance, or do they wear beakalavers?
Have you ever tried to catch a fucking duck (not a duck fucking, for clarity, that would be unfair on both ducks). They are flighty buggers, and while they might not break an arm, they can peck your legs into a bloody mess.
So no, I suggest they are a couple of chefs from the restaurant that 'serves duck', winding down on a park bench, feeding the ducks some leftover rice, before going to work.

I’d go back and keep an eye out and, if possible, take photos of the men and what they are doing.

I would definitely report this to the police too.

I think it's more that people are pointing out the hypocrisy of OP accusing the men of committing a crime (which she hasn't actually witnessed) whilst doing a crime herself- letting the dog off the lead. Which she is saying now she doesn't do, but in an earlier reply she came back to a poster who brought it up saying that it was fine to do so.

I'm sure this is a wind up, now.

What on earth would a 'surveillance operation' constitute? Are you going to skulk around the bushes with some binoculars? The police might arrive sooner than you bargained for.

''Catching ducks'' - Lord have mercy.

You’re allowed to walk an XL bully off lead on private property? The park is closed at 4am so it’s private property.

I hate to break it to you, OP,...but that's not the legal definition of private property.

But then I not surprised you wouldn't know that. XL bully owners aren't exactly known for their brains, are they?

Private property is either property you own or have permission to use, the locked public park is neither of those.
Yes, you should report but maybe to the owner of the park first.

A public park means it's owned by the council. Unless you know this for sure, it could be privately owned and the public allowed to use it.

The reason it's closed overnight is for good reason. To stop people using it 24 hours a day when they can get up to mischief there.

You can't decide that it's ok for you to use it, because you have a potentially aggressive dog, and it makes your life 'easier' to go there are 4am.

And it's just a tad hypocritical to consider reporting other people who are there at 4am.

If you chose to have that breed of dog then you take all the negatives that come with it.

Op

"You’re allowed to walk an XL bully off lead on private property? The park is closed at 4am so it’s private property."

This is not private property tho. So if someone reported you to the police you would be in the wrong.
If it was your private property, or a friend had allowed you access to their private property, yes it would be allowed.
However. It is a park usually open to the public and you are trespassing with your dog at 4am when it is closed. So if you walk that dog unmuzzled / off lead in that park then yes technically you are committing an offence

However. Who would bother reporting you if it is only you and the take away guys? So no need for anyone to get over excited.

Your conclusion that they are stealing ducks is a bit of a leap but if you're really concerned then go to your local council or whoever runs the park.
But be careful - while they may agree the park is private property at night, I don't think they'll agree it's YOUR private property. And they may not be wildly happy about you exercising your dog there.

Mumsnet paranoia - check
Illegal dog breed - check
Vague racist tropes - check

Nice one OP 😁

never mind ducks, I think I see some flying pigs over there

Men from the takeaway use big nets to catch ducks. Plastic bags make the ducks sweat too much and they'll never crisp up.

As for the takeaway guys - at the end of their shift they probably put their stinky clothes in the black sack, along with any leftovers for lunch. And then go for a chill out in the park before catching the first bus / train home.

Or perhaps they are lovers, meeting up for an illicit trist away from their colleagues?

Or perhaps they are so badly paid that they share digs and beds with day time workers who have not yet vacated the beds for them to get into? (Yes I had friends post uni who shared a house in this way. Very sad reality in some cities).

Either way. Leave them be.
Catching ducks to serve in the take away is very unlikely. Am sure the cash n carry will provide much more affordable & tastier duck meat!!!!

“Immigrants stealing swans” is a typical Daily Mail news story designed to whip up the anti-immigration crowd. When I read your OP its the first thing I thought of, and consciously or not it does come across as a racist assumption on your part that these takeaway workers (who sell duck dishes) are up to no good imo.

And this was when I knew you were winding everyone up. Personally I love a bit of wild quack and cheese.

A property that is being privately used is private property no? It’s not like it is someone’s house, it is a public park that is closed and I am (or was) using it privately.

So, anyone can use a closed park 'privately' because it suits them in some way?
And gaining access through a hole in the fence is fine as there is no breaking and entering.

Hmmm....

OP, whatever you ending up doing... please update us all on the eventual outcome.

So many threads nowadays where the OP's don't update us on what happened and we're left wondering.

Maybe the dog will catch the ducks and give them to the owners of the takeaway then everyone will live happily ever after.

The End.

Oh my good god. You challenge @Imperrysmum using a racist example!

What type of takeaway is it serving duck OP? I don't recall seeing it on the menu at McDonalds or KFC or my local chip shop.

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Is your XL registered, chipped and neutered OP? 🤔

This happened at our local park years ago , with swans which people were stealing to eat, so I don’t think it’s that much of a reach.

Great thread. Am expecting this to be more widely reported on a slow news day soon!!

They're not going to worry about that. A restaurant in our local town got raided by the police and they had domestic dogs and cats in the freezers someof which were identifiable by their microchips.

The idea of working in a hot kitchen dealing with customers, some of which are likely to be a pain then all the cleaning up sounds like hell to me but the thought of me and a work mate been able to take the leftvovers to a park and feed the ducks andhave a beer kinda appeals to me .
That is until I see someone with a big dog stalking me that looks like they may be encouraging the dog to catch ducks