Irony Police: U.K. authorities reportedly resorting to 'theft' to discourage stealing
England is a very strange place. Not only do they like having a royal family, but they talk like this: "Oi. Buncha southy Londoners are suddenly stroppy over the constable's wonky plan to nick exposed swag from their unlocked cars. Kind of a bollocks plan, innit?" Naturally the coppers are chuffed about the whole thing, claiming they're just teaching gadges that couldn't be arsed to lock their cars a lesson.
In other words, in an area of South London called Richmond, police have taken to opening unlocked cars and removing valuable items like laptops and cells phones. They think they are doing nothing wrong and teaching careless people a lesson. Of course, because of British common law they apparently aren't doing anything wrong at all. Said police supervisor Jim Davis, "Technically we are entering the vehicle but we are not committing a crime. It's a common law duty to protect (people's) property."
Aside from, oh, you know, the police locking the unlocked vehicles, we have mixed feelings about this particular program. On the one hand, they are taking pre-stolen goods right out of the criminals' mouths. On the other, no jury (in Texas) would ever convict you for shooting someone taking property from your car. Seems to us like a lorra lorra gert plonker method to sort out the wheat from the chavs.
[Source: BBC | Image: Chris Jackson/Getty]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
paul34 4:01PM (8/28/2009)
Great idea! Next, they should rape young college girls to teach them a lesson about personal safety! These guys are so smart.
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xpolarx 4:35PM (8/28/2009)
Haha...dude, that's awful. Amazing...but awful.
Azael 4:54PM (8/28/2009)
Whew, glad we kicked those Redcoats out when we did.
James 6:00PM (8/28/2009)
"In other words, in an area of South London called Richmond, police have taken to opening unlocked cars and removing valuable items like laptops and cells phones..."
Gives real meaning to the term..."police state".
NudeLove93 6:03PM (8/28/2009)
Or uh, send Playboy models to "rape" Men ages 16 to 24 who live in metropolitan areas of Eastern Pennsylvania...
That'll learn 'um...
gerrrg 7:55AM (8/29/2009)
To be fair, they try to contact the owner before taking anything, and they leave a note as to where the articles were taken to.
Better than having your stuff actually stolen.
katatonics 4:02PM (8/28/2009)
Awesome.
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gefinley 4:04PM (8/28/2009)
Do the cops get to keep what they take, though? That'd solve any recruitment issues they might have...
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gefinley 4:05PM (8/28/2009)
Completely unrelated, but why on a different post do I have to confirm additional posts, although I guess it may happen happen with this one as well? None of my information changes...
xtasi 4:07PM (8/28/2009)
"On the other, no jury (in Texas) would ever convict you for shooting someone taking property from your car."
it's funny, because it's true.
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paul34 4:09PM (8/28/2009)
I believe that only applies after 6pm, however.
Francis Sawyer 4:23PM (8/28/2009)
That prince is one dumb lookin' sumbitch.
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Andrew 10:23PM (8/28/2009)
Are you referring to the police issue protective eyewear he's wearing at this exercise or more in general?
FThorn 4:23PM (8/28/2009)
Hope they don't try to mug me. Seeing that here in USofAmerica I am legally carrying two loaded pistols that will stop those shenanigans in their tracks.
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MeanMin 8:40PM (8/28/2009)
Thats gonna be my excuse next time I get caught stealing from someone. "Ummm... I was teaching them a lesson?"
Derek Jones 4:34PM (8/28/2009)
Trust them to try this in Richmond.... one of the wealthiest parts of London.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond,_London
And when someone has their computer nicked by the police who happen to turn it on and find all sorts of interesting stuff, then what?
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Rich 5:51PM (8/28/2009)
My thought exactly. They wouldn't dare try this in Boro, or they *would* be shot.
btyler227 4:40PM (8/28/2009)
What an awful idea. Officers should not be opening peoples cars and going into them. Who cares if the idiot left it unlocked. Maybe there is a problem with his doors actuator and cannot lock it. These cops to find something better to do with their time, seriously!
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KC 5:11PM (8/28/2009)
Thing is, 99% of the time police have absolutely nothing to do. They are the construction flag holders of society. The more nothing they do the better off society is. They have so much paperwork because without it they would become criminals who steal things from unlocked cars out of boredom. Oh, wait....
remy 4:45PM (8/28/2009)
terrible idea
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