Lock up your bikes or we will take them say police (From Worcester News)

Paul H Griffiths, says...
8:44am Wed 15 Aug 07

I'm sure Inspector Crumpton is well-intentioned. But we really can't allow the police to confiscate people's property without cause.

Report this post »

Paul H Griffiths, says...
8:44am Wed 15 Aug 07

I'm sure Inspector Crumpton is well-intentioned. But we really can't allow the police to confiscate people's property without cause.

Report this post »

caer caradoc, Chaddesley Corbett says...
8:55am Wed 15 Aug 07

Cyclists should learn to secure their bikes when parked with a good quality 'D Lock' passing through the frame and rear wheel. The front wheel should also be detached and placed within the lock to reduce the chance of the lock being forced apart.

Aside from that it is questionable whether the police do have the authority to effectively 'steal' cycles, however well intentioned.

Report this post »

caer caradoc, Chaddesley Corbett says...
8:55am Wed 15 Aug 07

Cyclists should learn to secure their bikes when parked with a good quality 'D Lock' passing through the frame and rear wheel. The front wheel should also be detached and placed within the lock to reduce the chance of the lock being forced apart.

Aside from that it is questionable whether the police do have the authority to effectively 'steal' cycles, however well intentioned.

Report this post »

Ken Bradford, says...
9:09am Wed 15 Aug 07

I agree with the above Comments.
The Police intentions are good but the actions proposed may be illegal.
The Police may be better off offering reduced price D-Locks to the Cyclists.

Report this post »

Ken Bradford, says...
9:09am Wed 15 Aug 07

I agree with the above Comments.
The Police intentions are good but the actions proposed may be illegal.
The Police may be better off offering reduced price D-Locks to the Cyclists.

Report this post »

Indignant, Worcester says...
10:01am Wed 15 Aug 07

I once locked up my bicycle with a good quality D lock only to return o find just a frame and one wheel remaining. Everything else had been stripped off the machine. At that point I gave up and just walked. So far, no one has tried to steal my legs.

Report this post »

Indignant, Worcester says...
10:01am Wed 15 Aug 07

I once locked up my bicycle with a good quality D lock only to return o find just a frame and one wheel remaining. Everything else had been stripped off the machine. At that point I gave up and just walked. So far, no one has tried to steal my legs.

Report this post »

carolfarrell, Worcestershire says...
10:14am Wed 15 Aug 07

Did Acting Inspector Paul Crumpton used to live in Trumpton by any chance?

Report this post »

carolfarrell, Worcestershire says...
10:14am Wed 15 Aug 07

Did Acting Inspector Paul Crumpton used to live in Trumpton by any chance?

Report this post »

johnnierebel, says...
10:43am Wed 15 Aug 07

Think it's a great idea. Why don't we go further and allow the local police to confiscate anyhting of value citizens own, thus ensuring the police don't have to waste their valuable time detecting thieves?.....You couldn't make it up

Report this post »

johnnierebel, says...
10:43am Wed 15 Aug 07

Think it's a great idea. Why don't we go further and allow the local police to confiscate anyhting of value citizens own, thus ensuring the police don't have to waste their valuable time detecting thieves?.....You couldn't make it up

Report this post »

Alan2, Worcester says...
11:24am Wed 15 Aug 07

Whilst some of the above comments are humorous, this latest bit of stupidity by the Police is far from it. It shows only to well the state of idiocy and lack of prioritised working in the Police at this present time. They can't find time to attend far more serious matters which call for their attention, they give"numbers" as opposed to investigating crime, they fail to put a stop to hooligan youngsters in the streets but they can find time to do this. It say's it all. I think we have here, a case of someone trying to make a name for himself by siezing on some daftness that nobody else in the force has thought about and making a "press release" of it. For those with a legal bent, this is not stealing and the Police do not commit an offence, there has to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of the bike, they dont do that, the owner can have it back. All the Police do is make themselves look more stupid than some of their policies and actions already are.

Report this post »

Alan2, Worcester says...
11:24am Wed 15 Aug 07

Whilst some of the above comments are humorous, this latest bit of stupidity by the Police is far from it. It shows only to well the state of idiocy and lack of prioritised working in the Police at this present time. They can't find time to attend far more serious matters which call for their attention, they give"numbers" as opposed to investigating crime, they fail to put a stop to hooligan youngsters in the streets but they can find time to do this. It say's it all. I think we have here, a case of someone trying to make a name for himself by siezing on some daftness that nobody else in the force has thought about and making a "press release" of it. For those with a legal bent, this is not stealing and the Police do not commit an offence, there has to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of the bike, they dont do that, the owner can have it back. All the Police do is make themselves look more stupid than some of their policies and actions already are.

Report this post »

Logik, worcester says...
12:12pm Wed 15 Aug 07

I would like to know just under what laws Acting Inspector Crumpton intends to 'confiscate' citizens bikes.

Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
confiscate /'kKnfNskeNt/
verb (confiscated, confiscating) to take away something from someone, usually as a penalty. adj forfeited.

It seems clear therfore that the Police feel that it is perfectly lawful to impose a penalty even when no laws are actually being broken. Perhaps this is to reduce Police resources dedicated to bike crime, I am sure that a dozen calls a week to the Police reporting bike thefts, with the only response being that of issuing a crime number is very draining on those resources.

Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
theft
noun
1 stealing; an act of stealing someone else's property, with the intention of permanently depriving them of it.
2 something stolen.

So, bike thief nicks your bike and gets caught (unlikely). In court he/she states that they had not stolen it, they had merely taken it away for safe keeping, they only had to ask for it back. Ludicrous!!

Further, how do they know that someone who loses their bike will report it to the Police anyway. It's pretty pointless as we all know and being unsecured, recovering the cost on insurance is remote, so how could they be sure that they were not going to permanently deprive an owner of his/her property even though they had no intent to do so.

On the other hand, with cars, a thief can be charged with taking a vehicle without the owners consent if their is no intent to permanenly deprive the owner of their vehicle. This is the same thing, taking without the owners consent, I would suggest that this is unlawfal however it is dressed up.

It's pouring with rain outside again, April weather, but it's not April 1st is it? Mike Foster condones these actions as well. These people should not be allowed to think for themselves as it is clearly dangerous. Case adjourned for psychiatric reports.

I would like to know just under what laws Acting Inspector Crumpton intends to 'confiscate' citizens bikes. Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary confiscate /'kKnfNskeNt/ verb (confiscated, confiscating) to take away something from someone, usually as a penalty. adj forfeited. It seems clear therfore that the Police feel that it is perfectly lawful to impose a penalty even when no laws are actually being broken. Perhaps this is to reduce Police resources dedicated to bike crime, I am sure that a dozen calls a week to the Police reporting bike thefts, with the only response being that of issuing a crime number is very draining on those resources. Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary theft noun 1 stealing; an act of stealing someone else's property, with the intention of permanently depriving them of it. 2 something stolen. [Anglo-Saxon thiefth.] So, bike thief nicks your bike and gets caught (unlikely). In court he/she states that they had not stolen it, they had merely taken it away for safe keeping, they only had to ask for it back. Ludicrous!! Further, how do they know that someone who loses their bike will report it to the Police anyway. It's pretty pointless as we all know and being unsecured, recovering the cost on insurance is remote, so how could they be sure that they were not going to permanently deprive an owner of his/her property even though they had no intent to do so. On the other hand, with cars, a thief can be charged with taking a vehicle without the owners consent if their is no intent to permanenly deprive the owner of their vehicle. This is the same thing, taking without the owners consent, I would suggest that this is unlawfal however it is dressed up. It's pouring with rain outside again, April weather, but it's not April 1st is it? Mike Foster condones these actions as well. These people should not be allowed to think for themselves as it is clearly dangerous. Case adjourned for psychiatric reports.

Report this post »

Logik, worcester says...
12:12pm Wed 15 Aug 07

I would like to know just under what laws Acting Inspector Crumpton intends to 'confiscate' citizens bikes.

Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
confiscate /'kKnfNskeNt/
verb (confiscated, confiscating) to take away something from someone, usually as a penalty. adj forfeited.

It seems clear therfore that the Police feel that it is perfectly lawful to impose a penalty even when no laws are actually being broken. Perhaps this is to reduce Police resources dedicated to bike crime, I am sure that a dozen calls a week to the Police reporting bike thefts, with the only response being that of issuing a crime number is very draining on those resources.

Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary
theft
noun
1 stealing; an act of stealing someone else's property, with the intention of permanently depriving them of it.
2 something stolen.

So, bike thief nicks your bike and gets caught (unlikely). In court he/she states that they had not stolen it, they had merely taken it away for safe keeping, they only had to ask for it back. Ludicrous!!

Further, how do they know that someone who loses their bike will report it to the Police anyway. It's pretty pointless as we all know and being unsecured, recovering the cost on insurance is remote, so how could they be sure that they were not going to permanently deprive an owner of his/her property even though they had no intent to do so.

On the other hand, with cars, a thief can be charged with taking a vehicle without the owners consent if their is no intent to permanenly deprive the owner of their vehicle. This is the same thing, taking without the owners consent, I would suggest that this is unlawfal however it is dressed up.

It's pouring with rain outside again, April weather, but it's not April 1st is it? Mike Foster condones these actions as well. These people should not be allowed to think for themselves as it is clearly dangerous. Case adjourned for psychiatric reports.

I would like to know just under what laws Acting Inspector Crumpton intends to 'confiscate' citizens bikes. Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary confiscate /'kKnfNskeNt/ verb (confiscated, confiscating) to take away something from someone, usually as a penalty. adj forfeited. It seems clear therfore that the Police feel that it is perfectly lawful to impose a penalty even when no laws are actually being broken. Perhaps this is to reduce Police resources dedicated to bike crime, I am sure that a dozen calls a week to the Police reporting bike thefts, with the only response being that of issuing a crime number is very draining on those resources. Definition of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary theft noun 1 stealing; an act of stealing someone else's property, with the intention of permanently depriving them of it. 2 something stolen. [Anglo-Saxon thiefth.] So, bike thief nicks your bike and gets caught (unlikely). In court he/she states that they had not stolen it, they had merely taken it away for safe keeping, they only had to ask for it back. Ludicrous!! Further, how do they know that someone who loses their bike will report it to the Police anyway. It's pretty pointless as we all know and being unsecured, recovering the cost on insurance is remote, so how could they be sure that they were not going to permanently deprive an owner of his/her property even though they had no intent to do so. On the other hand, with cars, a thief can be charged with taking a vehicle without the owners consent if their is no intent to permanenly deprive the owner of their vehicle. This is the same thing, taking without the owners consent, I would suggest that this is unlawfal however it is dressed up. It's pouring with rain outside again, April weather, but it's not April 1st is it? Mike Foster condones these actions as well. These people should not be allowed to think for themselves as it is clearly dangerous. Case adjourned for psychiatric reports.

Report this post »

Alan2, Worcester says...
12:38pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Good reasoning and interpretation Logik but the law allows a specific offence of taking cars without consent of the owner and not classing it as theft. In legal circles it is known as "TWOC" - it makes no such provision for other property including bikes. The Police and courts are running into this issue almost every day where the full ingredients of theft cannot be proved. This is just one of thousands of examples that makes the "law an ****". The point you make about the owner not reporting it to Police because he/she knows of their lethargic response is a very good one.

Report this post »

Alan2, Worcester says...
12:38pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Good reasoning and interpretation Logik but the law allows a specific offence of taking cars without consent of the owner and not classing it as theft. In legal circles it is known as "TWOC" - it makes no such provision for other property including bikes. The Police and courts are running into this issue almost every day where the full ingredients of theft cannot be proved. This is just one of thousands of examples that makes the "law an ****". The point you make about the owner not reporting it to Police because he/she knows of their lethargic response is a very good one.

Report this post »

Logik, worcester says...
1:09pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Point taken Alan2 but the principles are the same, is a bike not just as much as a vehicle albeit not normally a motor vehicle.

Just how far should we let this go in the name of crime prevention. Perhaps they could break into our houses, cars, garden sheds etc to demonstrate how vulnerable security might be and take away all of our worldly goods on the basis that it is for our own good.

It's still ridiculous.

Report this post »

Logik, worcester says...
1:09pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Point taken Alan2 but the principles are the same, is a bike not just as much as a vehicle albeit not normally a motor vehicle.

Just how far should we let this go in the name of crime prevention. Perhaps they could break into our houses, cars, garden sheds etc to demonstrate how vulnerable security might be and take away all of our worldly goods on the basis that it is for our own good.

It's still ridiculous.

Report this post »

Steve Price, Malvern says...
1:58pm Wed 15 Aug 07

A local cop broke into my dads car, well opened an unlocked door anyway, and left a load of leaflets about locking up valuables etc, my how we laughed.....
Maybe the police nicking citizens bikes could leave some indication as to where the bikes had gone and why..
I suppose this could all just be an exercise in public awareness about bike security, seems to be working so far doesn't it.

Report this post »

Steve Price, Malvern says...
1:58pm Wed 15 Aug 07

A local cop broke into my dads car, well opened an unlocked door anyway, and left a load of leaflets about locking up valuables etc, my how we laughed.....
Maybe the police nicking citizens bikes could leave some indication as to where the bikes had gone and why..
I suppose this could all just be an exercise in public awareness about bike security, seems to be working so far doesn't it.

Report this post »

anotherdeadhero, Bristol says...
2:14pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Am I alone in thinking they're onto a good idea here? If all bike are either securely locked up, or moved to a safer place (like a police station) for the owner to retrieve it then they can only be onto a good thing? Hopefully bike theft would fall.

There is no question that the Police are attempting to confiscate these bikes. They are not taking punitive action, after all it is within the remit of policing our streets, not only to catch criminals, but to engineer solutions and practice that will reduce the incidence of crime in the first place.

EXACTLY like the Fire service going around trying to discourage arson, put in smoke detectors and running training courses, awareness demonstrations to PREVENT fire, rather than exclusivly putting out fires when they occur.

Report this post »

anotherdeadhero, Bristol says...
2:14pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Am I alone in thinking they're onto a good idea here? If all bike are either securely locked up, or moved to a safer place (like a police station) for the owner to retrieve it then they can only be onto a good thing? Hopefully bike theft would fall.

There is no question that the Police are attempting to confiscate these bikes. They are not taking punitive action, after all it is within the remit of policing our streets, not only to catch criminals, but to engineer solutions and practice that will reduce the incidence of crime in the first place.

EXACTLY like the Fire service going around trying to discourage arson, put in smoke detectors and running training courses, awareness demonstrations to PREVENT fire, rather than exclusivly putting out fires when they occur.

Report this post »

Rozza, Clacton says...
2:38pm Wed 15 Aug 07

I think we're all missing the obvious here, rather than removing bikes why not chain them up? After all the police could use the ready supplied handcuffs instead of a D lock. All they need to do is cuff the offending bike to the nearest unconcious mugging victim, then if anyone nicks the bike it clears an embarrassing mugging stat. at the same time. Simple.

Report this post »

Rozza, Clacton says...
2:38pm Wed 15 Aug 07

I think we're all missing the obvious here, rather than removing bikes why not chain them up? After all the police could use the ready supplied handcuffs instead of a D lock. All they need to do is cuff the offending bike to the nearest unconcious mugging victim, then if anyone nicks the bike it clears an embarrassing mugging stat. at the same time. Simple.

Report this post »

Logik, worcester says...
3:38pm Wed 15 Aug 07

anotherdeadhero, you said:- EXACTLY like the Fire service going around trying to discourage arson, put in smoke detectors and running training courses, awareness demonstrations to PREVENT fire, rather than exclusivly putting out fires when they occur.

Will or does the fire service take your house off you if you don't have working smoke detectors and would that be an acceptable practice?

Report this post »

Logik, worcester says...
3:38pm Wed 15 Aug 07

anotherdeadhero, you said:- EXACTLY like the Fire service going around trying to discourage arson, put in smoke detectors and running training courses, awareness demonstrations to PREVENT fire, rather than exclusivly putting out fires when they occur.

Will or does the fire service take your house off you if you don't have working smoke detectors and would that be an acceptable practice?

Report this post »

BobChurchill, Worcester says...
5:43pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Perhaps the police should mug old ladies in the nighttime, just to prove how dangerous it can be to walk out alone after dark?

Or perhaps they should break into my house as a "deterrent" to make me get an alarm system?

Honestly! If the prospect of having your bike stolen by thieves hasn't already caused someone to lock it up, then how is the prospect of having the bike confiscated by police going to serve as any better deterrent?!

Report this post »

BobChurchill, Worcester says...
5:43pm Wed 15 Aug 07

Perhaps the police should mug old ladies in the nighttime, just to prove how dangerous it can be to walk out alone after dark?

Or perhaps they should break into my house as a "deterrent" to make me get an alarm system?

Honestly! If the prospect of having your bike stolen by thieves hasn't already caused someone to lock it up, then how is the prospect of having the bike confiscated by police going to serve as any better deterrent?!

Report this post »

popeye, daventry says...
8:51pm Wed 15 Aug 07

I am a regular cyclist,I never lock my bicycle.If a thief is unable to steal a bike because it's locked,they will wreck it,I would rather mine was stolen,there is a chance of recovery.

Report this post »

popeye, daventry says...
8:51pm Wed 15 Aug 07

I am a regular cyclist,I never lock my bicycle.If a thief is unable to steal a bike because it's locked,they will wreck it,I would rather mine was stolen,there is a chance of recovery.

Report this post »

rob, droitwich says...
10:50am Thu 16 Aug 07

im sure police can find better things to do than waste time taking unlocked bikes.

Report this post »

rob, droitwich says...
10:50am Thu 16 Aug 07

im sure police can find better things to do than waste time taking unlocked bikes.

Report this post »

johnnierebel, says...
1:27pm Thu 16 Aug 07

Anotherdeadhero i'm waiting for the fire service to cvome and take my Gas Fire and Oven away.............

Report this post »

johnnierebel, says...
1:27pm Thu 16 Aug 07

Anotherdeadhero i'm waiting for the fire service to cvome and take my Gas Fire and Oven away.............

Report this post »

e-bulletins

Your Worcester

News RSS Feed