Sorry, this is a rant!

[vulcan]

Originally Posted by abucksdiver

is a good enough excuse to remand the little scrot for a night in the cells!

I'll keep you all posted!

Result!!!!

Let us know what happens...good news...happy for you!!!

Martin

[Finless]

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[dlegros]

Well said Finless.

Kill 'em all... Let God sort 'em out.

Hope you get some resolution Andrew.

Dom

[Mr T.]

Originally Posted by abucksdiver

PS> They wouldn't tell me who he is, though!

Mate, it doesn't matter who he is, as long his sorry arse is doing time and off the streets

Good luck in identifiying your kit.

[Mark Griffith]

Public Flogging its the future

[Justin Owen]

Originally Posted by seadweller

Public Flogging its the future

there's little crime in singapore...

thieven bastards are up there with car thieves and joy riders - chop their hands off i say...

[Mark Griffith]

Well said if only our MPs would listen

[Mark Davies]

Andrew,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. It is a sad fact that once you have been burgled once the chances of being done a second time are about double what they were originally. As people have said, it's the same offenders coming back to do you again.

First, they know what you had and expect your insurance to replace it. Many offenders will concentrate on one area for a few weeks then move on. They rotate so that they revisit an area every six months or so. Those that are really clued up keep diaries, noting your address and what they got from you. That way, if they want to steal something to order for someone, say a PDA, then they can look in their diary and see where they got one before.

But secondly, and most important, they know that they got into your house, how they did it and that they got away with it.

Five years ago we recognised this problem on our division and started a program of target hardening. With funding from the EU (yes, we do get something back!) we were able to offer free security upgrades to every victim of burglary; new locks, window locks, spy-holes, chains, bolts, even alarms. Not everyone took us up on it. But here's the good news - after 5 years not one person on the scheme has been burgled again. You don't have to be a victim - with a little investment it's easy to put off the would-be burglar.

Andrew, by the sound of it there's some hope that the scrote targetting you has been nabbed. However, hopefully your force has provided you with some literature on how to toughen up your home. If not, PM me with your address and I'll send you ours. We're not talking about bars on windows and gun turrets - sometimes the simplest and cheapest of measures make a world of difference.

And one last word of encouragement. Nationally burglary figures are coming down. It is a high priority in all forces, but national initiatives such as Operation Magpie are beginning to take effect. You can be sure that your force is not going to neglect this issue. Yes, there is a bit of fall-out - the increase in street muggings can be related directly to the work we're doing on burglary. Being thwarted in one avenue forces the habitual criminal to do something else, but we're working on that as well.

But put simply, you can decide not to be a victim and take simple measures to prevent it. There have been two attempts at breaking into my house but both have failed. My house isn't Fort Knox - I don't even have an alarm - but a few simple choices make the difference.

[abucksdiver]

OK, I went down the police station, and was met by a DC carrying several evidence bages with rather familiar contents...

Firstly, my wifes PDA from the first burglary... but after nine months, the batteries were flat and, even though I took the charger, there was no data left on it... However, I showed them where the serial number is etched onto the circuit board, and it matched the serial number on the box that another DC later saw me remove from my loft. Result = 1 charge of handling stolen goods (too long since first burglary, and only one item recovered.)

Second, the replaced PDA... can you prove this is your wifes... lets switch it on... Phone book, pull out my PDA... oh look, the first phone number in each PDA is for the Aberdeen Hyperbaric Chamber... blank looks from the two DCs... We are divers, recompression blar, blar, blar... oh, and here is my name, with my work, mobile, home e-mail and work e-mail addresses... Positive proof that it is our stolen PDA...

Next, a bottle of Glenmorangie, complete with its presentation box/tube (now almost empty... I hope he had a hang-over when the PCs woke him up very early yesterday morning!) matches exactly the description of the bottle stolen from my place on Monday... (May also have my fingerprints on it.)

The little scrote had nicked a pack of Chocolate biscuits from our kitchen, and had eaten them all, but couldn't be bothered to throw the wrappers away. (Currently being checked for my wifes fingerprints to prove they came from our house)

There were several other bits that were found, that although could have been purchased by anyone, matched exactly the items that we had reported stolen.

Because of this lot, 1 charge of Burglary is being made. 1 additional burglary charge is being made for another robbery!

He is making a visit to the local Magistrates this morning!

Oh, and although they would not tell me who it is, when I asked directly if it was the son of my next-door neighours, they confirmed it...


Andrew

[The Purist]

Originally Posted by abucksdiver

Oh, and although they would not tell me who it is, when I asked directly if it was the son of my next-door neighours, they confirmed it...

Jeez that takes the biscuit! (sorry, that wasn't meant to be a cheap jibe ) No need for a getway, knows the layout of the house... hope he gets far far more than a slap on the wrist!