Is this a police job? Threatened by Vinted seller

[Reasonswhy]

I know I’m not, but posting for traffic as no idea what to do.
Item for Christmas arrived today and was clearly fake so applied for a refund via Vinted. I’ve had a series of threatening messages from the seller saying he needs the money, and he has my address so will come and find me. He included a photo of himself holding an air rifle. I’m not easily spooked but feel really scared now as he does have my address and seems very angry. I’ve filed a “help” through Vinted but they may not even read it for 48 hours. Do I call 111? On my own with 2 kids so feel really on edge.

The word 'outwith' is a formal term used in Scottish Standard English. It's often used in legal matters. It simply means 'outside' - much the same as in the old hymn: "There is a green hill far away, without a city wall..."

It's Scottish. The word outwith is rarely used outwith Scotland ;)

(As a southerner, I learnt this on Mumsnet)

@LemaxObsessive if she meant it or didn't mean it, I'm sure you got the gist of what she was saying. Not sure it was worthy of a post requesting clarification

You know I was watching Manhunt: Chasing the fox on Netflix a few days. And I wont spoil it for those who haven't watched it but I thought my god! POLICING! POLICING! Whaaattttt. Actual Policing!!!!

Who would have thought. That actually existed. How was that possible.

And you have this guy here. IP addresses, Bank accounts with Names, Literally drop off points of not one but probably loads of items, CCTV at said locations, Even if they cover their face then car registrations. There a million ways to find this person without having to do anything creative or clever.

And creative clever policing did/does exist. Incredible. Shame they don’t bother anymore.

So sorry this has happened. So many fakes on Vinted. I bought a pair of Sketchers, which initially looked good. But after wearing a few times I know they are not Sketchers, the soles are nearly falling apart after around 5 wears. It's kinda put me off Vinted, as how do you know if something is fake or genuine?

Also, could he be bluffing about knowing your address? I sold something, and never seen the buyers address. I got a QR code when she bought the item, which my post office scanned, printed the label and stuck it to the parcel behind the desk, I never seen the label. I was reassured how safe it felt for buyers that I never actually seen her address. I didn't know this isn't always the case?

But all this costs a lot of money. That's the issue. In my area they won't even send out the fingerprint team unless blood has been spilled.

My friend was having a nap one day with the lights out and window open. Somebody tried to climb in her window using a ladder thinking nobody was in. They ran off and left ladder. Police said they had an idea who it could've been but couldn't take fingerprints from the metal ladder without blood having been spilled.

The guy then came back later and took his ladder!

Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more

outwith
/aʊtˈwɪθ/
preposition
SCOTTISH ENGLISH
outside; beyond.
"he has lived outwith Scotland for only five years"

Can tell you have never investigated anything in your life. How will they get all these unless they are released by Vinted ?
what an incredibly SILLY post

I can't believe Vinted might not share the details of the seller. Can't the law force them to as part of a criminal investigation? It's madness.

I've also heard Americans say it.

No, it's not housed in the UK. Therefore compelling them is not a guarantee. International law doesn't allow for that.

See the issues we with had with the likes of Apple and Google for a long long time..... They just ignored us back in 2005-2012ish. Not even a reply to a court order.

So sorry. The police response is hopeless.

I wonder who else he has threatened/controlled in this way.

💐

The police won't do anything as no one's actually been attacked it died.

They are absolutely rubbish at protecting the public.

Er the OP literally has the drop point on her tracking. First things first send someone over there to get the CCTV.

And also why not get vinted to release them? Honestly the problem with this country is the bar is so low it’s non existent.

OH no .. couldnt do it.. why.. had to do something.

Next

The number of posts on here moaning about the police 'doing nothing' etc is ridiculous. It really does highlight the lack of knowledge and understanding so many people have of law and how crimes are investigated.

From what the OP said in their last post it sounds like the officers who took statement etc are front line police officers who deal with the allsorts of crime on a daily basis. They are not cyber experts. They have obtained the initial information required to start the investigation and this will now be passed on to other officers who are more experienced in that field.

They were being honest about the prospects of detection because, as has been said, it is more difficult to obtain user information from Vinted than it is from X or similar for a number of reasons. Don't blame the police for that. They can only act within the law.

It sounds like the item was posted in a different force area than the one where the OP lives so potentially the investigation will need to be transferred to the relevant force area. It's called jurisdiction. We don't have a national police force so they can't just run up and down the country conducting investigations at will. Again, don't blame the police for that.

I do wish people would stop constantly having a go at the police when they clearly haven't got a clue how the system works. It's not like it is on the telly! I'm not for one minute saying the police always get it right. They don't. But it's ridiculous how many people think they are experts from behind their keyboards.

Well I am sure they should try however there are processes to go through to get the companies to release the information

The way you say “next” is just a little bit pathetic as well

Absolutely! They can of course force apps to hand over this info, or as you say get their Milton Keynes branch to go look at the CCTV of this scammer

What’s his new vinted ID @Reasonswhy … would be great for all of us to start spamming his account with shite!

Well the system is wrong then. Honestly this is like the easiest crime in the world. The gov made vinted do their hmrc reporting. I know because I am on there and had to fill the form last week. Gov needs to grow some balls and say you comply with our police force or you’re not trading here.

None of this is rocket science hence why normal people behind keyboards find this incredibly frustrating.

I am not going to be convinced that this is difficult. It’s not.

And yes the PP is right it is pathetic.

Why are you wasting your time posting crap without bothering to read any of the updates from the OP? Nobody in the whole wide world would think after hundreds of posts that you're the first one to consider this course of action?

It may well be wrong but the officers dealing with it need to follow procedure. If they don't there is every possibility that the case would not even reach trial.

I'm sure if you were a victim of crime you would want to know that everything is being done by the book rather than corners being cut.