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October 27, 2010
Apparently it is only classed as a crime if someone gets hurt in the incident, either the owner, the perpetrator or a third party. Added to this is the fact that “anti-social behaviour” is not a crime it’s, well, just anti-social behaviour probably on a par to a child being naughty and vandalising the furniture because its parents wont let him have some sweets. Adding these two facts together it is tantamount to giving the street yobs a licence to smash up someones car just for the fun of it, and because they haven’t committed a crime they get away with it scot-free! This is apparently what happened last week on the public car park in our town. I parked my car on the public car park last week to go shopping and nearby I saw this badly damaged car. The owner, a young woman, was standing by it extremely upset. I asked her what had happened and she replied that she lived in a flat near the car park and had gone out intending to go to work and found it in the condition you see here. She told me that she had only recently moved to Earl Shilton and didn’t know many people and couldn’t imagine who would do such a thing to her. She also told me that the police had only just left, and apart from walking around the car and taking notes they had issued her with an “incident number” to give to her insurance company when she claimed for the damage, they told her that it was not advisable to park on a public car park overnight. Then left.
I think that de-criminalising vandalism on cars is one of the things the police have done to massage the crime figures. I keep reading about how the crime rate is falling in this country, yet I only have to look around our town to see what appears to be an increase in local crime. Even one junior ranking officer said in the above article “It is outrageous to attempt to manipulate the crime figures and make things look a lot more rosy than they are. . . . you can imagine the anger of a member of the public when a constable has to explain to then that vandalism is not criminal damage.” So now that vandalism isn’t a crime anymore perhaps the police can get on with the job of catching the real criminals . . . . the motorists! Click the images to see a larger version, and then again to see an even bigger pic. Yes, that is a paving slab that was thrown at the windscreen!
11 Comments posted on "Not a crime!"
Comments:
Invader_Stu on October 27th, 2010 at 3:24 pm #
Look on the bright side. This means you are allowed to smash police car windows.
Keith on October 27th, 2010 at 3:57 pm #
Stu: I never thought of that, but there is a snag there. Remember that “There is one law for us, and one law for them” If I vandalised a cop car then they would lock me away for a long time. Just think of that. Three hot meals a day, nice warm cell in the winter, free TV and Internet, free clothes, free dental treatment and medical care, Open University course for free, no Council Tax to pay, earn a decent wage sowing mail bags instead of getting a small old age pension, no TV licence to pay, no gas bills, no electric bills, a free gym and sports club, and best of all, lying in bed until the lunch gong is sounded!. Er. . . . No thanks, I couldn’t stand it. I would die from sheer bliss; so I’ll pass on smashing police cars up and continue to live half starved in my little cold hovel in the damp woods, eating wild mushrooms and berries.
sablonneuse on October 27th, 2010 at 4:16 pm #
Keith, I think your response to Stu’s comment is even more telling than the post! Criminals are cossetted while the victims have to deal with their actions.
Anji on October 27th, 2010 at 9:43 pm #
people will start taking the law (or lack of it) into their own hands
Keith on October 27th, 2010 at 11:13 pm #
Sandy: People think I’m joking when I say what it’s like in modern prisons now. I recently visited the Leicester Prison with a friend so she could get her husbands signature on a document. He told us it was like a holiday camp in there, lots of privileges etc., and he didn’t want to get out! Anji: Actually it’s not unknown around here. Certain anti-social yoofs have been shown the error of their ways from time to time.
guyana gyal on October 27th, 2010 at 11:53 pm #
How disappointed the car vandals must be, they probably thought that all they have to do is break up some windows, then look at the life they’d enjoy. I think the Human Rights people might love how well prisoners are being treated there.
Sarah on October 28th, 2010 at 2:08 am #
Actually, someone is hurt when their property is damaged–hurt financially, and, like that young woman, hurt emotionally. I still say it’s a crime (it is on this side of The Pond.)
johng on October 28th, 2010 at 6:19 pm #
I’ve told you to stop doing this!
d h on October 31st, 2010 at 5:10 pm #
I think the police at every level are encouraged not to let crimes get acknowledged or go on the record. And I do speak from experience. lol No wonder they might be reducing the size of the force. Guess they will be adding a bonus for no crimes reported
Valentina Miranda on November 2nd, 2010 at 11:18 pm #
I was just gonna tell boring tales of my brief contacts with criminals, but I get so angry when I see people mumbling about how perfect prisons are. Number one, it’s not true.Number two, even it was true,if it was your son, you’d like him to have the minimal decency since he’s lost his freedom (which, HEY, NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE GOT TELEVISION!So what if I’m locked up all day? I’ve got sausages and X-Factor!). Honestly. Coming from a country where chavs on benefits have iPhones and i walk around with something resembling a remote control, i mean, HONESTLY.I’m speechless.Next thing will be people complaining how illegal immigrants don’t get killed!! And abortions are actually performed by doctors, and not the devil. HONESTLY. Spend a month in prison and then write your cheap mistery shopper evaluation. Cool blog, dude. Viva la France.
Keith on November 3rd, 2010 at 8:40 am #
Valentina: I don’t know where you are, but I can assure you that local prison conditions are like I describe. I know because I played drums in a small Irish music group a while back and we used to go to a prison to entertain the inmates once a month. I saw what the prisoners had to “put up with” and it was as I decribed; don’t forget that the authorities now have to comply with the EHRC (European Human Rights Commision) to ensure that the prisoners have every comfort except freedom and the right to vote. Even now our Government is being railroaded into giving the vote to prisoners by the EU! The next thing is that they will be allowed to go home at weekends! They already have the right to work in prison and earn a wage on top of all their liberties. I am a pensioner, living alone on a basic state pension. I cannot afford to heat my house in the winter and eat decent food, it’s one or the other. In the winter months I live in one room of a 3 bedroom house which I keep warm. Unlike you I do not have a television because of the expense (licence fee, cost of installation, etc) , no cooker (the last one was beyond repair and had to be dumped, and I can’t raise the £300+ to buy another) because of the very high Council Tax I have to pay every month. I could go on, but I think you get the general picture. My only pleasure is using my old computer and reading. So don’t tell me I exaggerate about prison conditions. Post a comment
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Senior officers say smashed car windows and other damage to cars should not be classed as criminal damage if nothing is stolen. They even accused front line bobbies of being “too quick” to assume that an offence has been committed when motorists report damage to their vehicles. Unbelievable!
Here are a few facts, which might help you decide if you've had the unfortunate experience of meeting me in real life or not ... I am 75 going on 30, divorced and available. I enjoy French cooking, drinking lots of wine, (French of course!) and holidaying in France (on a pittance, I might add!). I also have a passion for amateur radio and electronics. I design and make stained glass windows now purely as a hobby (It used to be my trade until I retired). My other interests are archery and French boule; playing Petanque with friends and a nice bottle of vin rouge on the side.
