On Sunday night we had a break in at 18 Doughty Street. Last night I was broadcasting live and was told that my car had been broken into, as had those of YouGov's Stephan Shakespeare and MORI's Bob Worcester and two others cars. Makes you wonder what the MDs of ICM or NOP were doing, doesn't it?! Naturally we rang the Police, but unsurprisingly they didn't want to know. This is a summary of the exchange...
18DS: "So you're not going to come out then."
Police: "No sir, we don't come out for car break ins."
18DS: "Not even when there are 5 cars damaged?"
Police: "No, but you are very welcome to visit any police station and report the crime, sir"
18DS: "How kind."
And there you have it. A prime example of why many people have little confidence in the Metropolitan Police. If they're not willing to investigate 5 car break ins, just what are they willing to do? Needless to say we just haven't bothered reporting it now, because there's nothing they will do about it anyway. And there's a prime example of why the crime figures aren't worth the paper they are written on.
UPDATE: I am kicking myself for omitting to mention that Tim Montgomerie's bicycle was stolen yesterday from outside the office too. Maybe it was used as a getway vehicle...
103 comments:
Why don't they just get it over and done with and replace the telephone operators with a number system.. Press 3 if you have been mugged.
Then maybe we could have some more policemen and women on the streets, perhaps even solving crime.
I know if I was a police officer I would'nt want to be sat behind a desk all day.
It is precisely just such effective policing that causes your average criminal to think twice before committing a crime. Not.
Welcome to crime-ridden Britain Iain, where true criminals have almost free reign and certainly no fear of the law.
Such people need a hug and more understanding, no doubt.
Any wonder why so many people are emigrating?
Should you have said that there were hate messages graffitied on the cars. Then they would be down in shot.
If you go to our police station, you can't report a crime to a police person, but are waved in the direction of a phone. You dial into a programme where an automaton voice will give you a crime number so your insurance company can redress the financial effects of a crim the police make no physical effort to deter or detect.
No doubt in about three weeks you'll get the standard photocopied letter with biro additions. Of course had you climbed into the car and shot off down the road at 33.4 MPH a blue light would have appeared out of nowhere....
I used to be very pro police. But since they became politicised I have lost faith in them. They don't seem to be able to catch any crooks these days and spend their time doing paperwork, community outreach and catching speeders.
But Iain don't you know that there are more Police officers than ever before and that crime is down!
I think you need to visit the Island Mr Dale for re programming.
Once again Iain More Police safer streets it is a fact.
PS: I am moving back to Hong Kong a place I left in 1998 to come back to Britain but I just cannot stand ithere any more!
As someone who suffered a house break in recently I can sympathise with this. 'Tough on crime' ? Hmmmm...
That said, if the police are being honest and saying that there is very little they can do after the event, but are using the time to proactively prevent crime and catch criminals, ok.
But I can't really see the evidence. Although is it really the fault of the police ? If the CPS won't have the gumption to prosecute, and first time offenders aren't sent to gaol, is it really a surprise if the cops can't be motivated by car crime ?
I know how I would feel if I were in their shoes.
p.s. sorry but after reading the above I have realised my sympathy is misplaced - you are after all a 'climate change criminal' yourself..
Good luck with the insurance claim - remember you will need a crime reference number - from the police!
Seriously - make sure you get the separate department that takes the fingerprints out to visit. They seem to be separate from the police, who don't seem to be involved with this..
If you had said, there have been 5 break ins and it must have been the ________ (insert hate speech of choice), they are all criminals you know, they would have been over like a shot.
Central London? Should be a high chance of CCTV catching the thugs.
Surprised that police are not interested in something that could have a high chance of a conviction.
Iain as somebody said , you should have scrawled "dale is gay" on your car , they would have had a full team with you in minutes probably with counsellors and and armed responce unit.
Nothing to do with just the Met, its the same in Bristol, must be a national policy.My son was told exactly the same. Rugby playing 6ft student neighbour, who caught the fourteen year old breaking into his car, was reprimanded by the police for taking 'the law into his own hands' they did this over the phone of course as they had other priorities. Our neighbourhood watch scheme meetings has never had a visit from the Police in two years, other than a written warning not to act as vigilantes. If the Police cannot even pretend to defend us, we should be at least be able to take whatever action we deem fit to defend our homes. Sorry about the loss did you get a ref number for your insurance company, because thats all you get these days from the boys in blue
"A crime? Sorry, not our department sir..."
What the smeg DO they do if not investigate crimes?
Bless the criminals little cotton socks. We can't lock them up because the prisons are full and they would get all squashed up and upset.
SOFT on crime, SOFT on the causes of crime.
guthrum - i think this will be a big issue come the election. bristol has an appalling state education system, overseen by a labour dominated council which has systematically denied the youth of this town a decent education.
So each year yet more unqualified, rude, ill-mannered, unemployable and semi-literate youths are released onto the streets. Is it any wonder some are turning to crime ? It seems the only career option for many.
I used to think Bristol was a city on the up, but it has sown the seeds of its own destruction, overseen by appalling council mis-management.
Iain, sorry to hear of the criminality. I've also parked in the Hoborn area and returned to my car to find the shattered window all over the seats.
I recall an occasion when I parked in the NCP underground car park at South Bank and somewhere in the region of 25 cars were all done in one evening - whilst most of the owners were conveniently in the auditoriums.
Exacly the same reaction from the cops at that time, too. Despite wholesale car crime and the possibility of collusion there was a blank refusal to even take the details over the phone. We were all told to report the matter to our local police station. Still, that managed to shift the paperwork elsewhere, no doubt.
To add insult to injury you'll be getting a standard letter from the cops indicating how distressed they are to hear of your problem, and no doubt offering 'grief counselling' sessions.
Angry? You bet I am. I'm (we're) paying for these lazy and incompetent prats who clearly have no intention doing anything other than what they can get away with.
Yes recorded car crime may be decreasing, but one can see why. Insurance premiums rise every year. Uninsured Losses, Excesses, Loss of No Claims Bonus has to be factored into the total costs and that paints an interesting financial picture. By the time you've finished messing around with the cops, the insurers, the loss adjusters, the official repairers etc you might just as well pay the guy in the little garage round the corner to fix it - assuming he's still in business, of course.
They're pretty hot on dragging OAPs off to chokey for not paying their Council Tax...
vlad - is this meant to be a joke?
If this is really happening, it needs to be publicised far more widely. This is absolutely shocking and a damning indictment of how Labour have done absolutely zip, zilch, nothing to reduce petty crime, vandalism and mugging. Yesterday's court case over Mr Price's murder was a case in point.
Teachers aren't allowed to search kids' bags because it might upset the little darlings - surely this is the ground the tories ought to be fighting the next election on ?
If it can't be policed by camera, and prosecuted by a ticket in the post, those fat pasty-scoffing wastes of public money couldn't give a shit.
There's no money raised in investigating a window break-in... if you go 32mph then it's worth the Police's time.
We live in a mediocracy.
Why does this not suprise me.....the fact is that most people won't bother to report it, knowing that nothing will get done so it doesn't impact upon their statistics.
Everything is about league tables and statictics these days....not about actually doinf the job they should. NHS=same, schools=same.
I am sure if you had been black, it would have been different. People will be outraged. But that will only go to show that the comment is true.
We need the kind of police round these people up and give then a bloody good hiding. Forget it with this bunch of PC obsessed desk bound wallies.
Iain, perhaps you should ask them to put some of those signs up which say 'Police Operations in this area' or that some of the cars will trap them inside if they are driven away.
'That'll learn 'em...'
Also, on the basis that if we don't find a way to laugh about these things we are condemned to cry about them..perhaps you could tell us the makes and models of the cars - then we could at least discuss whether the crims had good taste or not...
The criminal foreplay by the two killers of Tom Ap Rhys is of greater concern to me. In London, a city where there are cameras everywhere these killers and their gang perpetrated dozens (maybe hundreds?) of group muggings on our underground and apparently got away with it. No wonder they were emboldened to commit more serious crime.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE - IF YOU'RE A SERIOUS TORY THIS HAS TO BE THE NUMBER ONE MESSAGE - YES TO POLICE SHERIFFS, YES TO MORE PRISONS, YES TO BURNING POLICE RED TAPE, YES TO PROFILING.
or would that mean I am being negative about this country. Next time you're in Prague, Dave, spend some time walking around the poor areas of town late at night - wow it's safe and feels safe.
http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/Page61.asp
http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/Page56.asp
http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/Page55.asp
I forget what it's called, but direct experience of crime leads you to think that crime is higher than it is.
You'll be sent information about victim support options soon. That's what happened to me when our car was vandalised outside our house - and its all that happened.
PS Why not use one of your cameras to watch the street - then you can broadcast the break-ins as they happened.
Dear anonymous 1:35
No joke, sadly. Neither phone nor wallet(separate incidents) recovered despite communing with phone in cop shop reception area. I think the service has now been improved and you don't even have to go down to the cop shop, you can generate your own reference number online. Like Blogging, only more deeply personal and distressing. Wasn't offered counselling, which is a good thing because counsellor likely to need first aid after our sesssion. It does make me wonder what - apart from monitoring speed cameras and prosecuting Welsh insulters - the police are actually doing with our money? Bitter, you bet.
I simply thing the police are totally useless. Where I live in Sussex there are simply none, the local police station has been closed, if you want a copper you have to call either Brighton or Haywards Heath. For example. the detached house next to mine was standing empty for some months and my wife noticed it had been broken into and ransacked overnight...she dutifully called the police. Three days later a knock at the door and it was the police responding to a report of buglary at my house !
The other alternative is to tell the police that you think a few of them are still in one of the cars so if they don't mind holding you'll just grab your 5 iron and pop out to check...
Again, you'll hear the sirens before you make it to the pavement.
"Go ahead punk, make my day."
When the police declined to attend the crime, Iain should have said, "Is it because I's gay?"
"Oh, no, sir! No, no! We'll be right round. We didn't know we were talking to a member of a victimised minority!"
I don't know how you people can stand Britain. I really don't.
A prime example of why many people have little confidence in the Metropolitan Police. If they're not willing to investigate 5 car break ins, just what are they willing to do?
The answer to that Iain, as you well know, is they are very willing to use up vast amaounts of "precious" police time persuing the politically incorrect thought crimes that New Labour have made their real priority in policing, oh and going on diversity awareness courses as well of course.
You missed out one vital element of the crime wave, Iain... the stealing of my bike!
The police seem to regard law-abiding taxpayers with little more than contempt these days, and increasingly the feeling is reciprocated, as is evident from some of the comments above.
It's not a healthy situation.
Bodo.
Wow, that's amazing. Here our police department is as inefficient and corrupt as most of them (if no more than) but they would take that seriously and send someone to investigate. Five cars isn't someone out for a lark, five cars is an organized gang. Any competent policeforce would know it's easier to deal with them now than to wait till they escalate to carjackings in a year or so.
You may also want to bore your insurance agent sick with complaining about the police response, because THEY will go after the cops. It's in their vested interests to do so, and you can ALWAYS count on insurance companies to do what's in their own economic interest.
anon 1:31
What ever gave you the idea that "Bristol was on the up"?
I lived there 15 years and saw the public education system in a state of disarray due to the loony left, witnessed the completely unchecked anarchy in St Paul's - which is in effect a no-go area and had the daily honour of being condescended to by the locals who by and large are ignorant and filthy and unfriendly and specialise in a unique kind of Shadenfreude towards their neighbours.
We were always getting cars nicked or smashed.
I have to say though, that the only time I ever did feel in acutual danger, or even uncomfortable, in those 15 years was when I had to venture into St Pauls at dusk, and witnessed three very shabby Afro-Caribbeans watching me and my car, quite openly.
The local authority will not acknowledge the problem and so the districts surrounding St Paul's fall prey to its residents.
On second thoughts could be worse. In France the state has given up the ghost policing etc some parts of its cities. A list of these no-go zones or Zones Urbaines Sensibles as they are known is available on an official website!
http://i.ville.gouv.fr/divbib/doc/chercherZUS.htm
I thought how awful - thank God it can't here. They I remembered that awful Trevor Brooks haranguing John Reid:"How dare you come to a Muslim area?" And I began to wonder.....
I guess it's because since the crime had already been committed and they were unlikely to catch the perpetrators, they didn’t think it was worth their while coming out as all they’d do is issue a crime number anyway which they could’ve done over the phone. Bleddy annoying though.
I’ve found my local cop-shop to be distinctly unimpressive on the few times I’ve been in contact with them (m’lud).
Iain as somebody said , you should have scrawled "dale is gay" on your car , they would have had a full team with you in minutes probably with counsellors and and armed responce unit.
As the 1996 Olympic Games 100Kg Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist and 6-time Pro-wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle would say "It's True! It's Damm True!"
We live in a mediocracy.
LOL!
I've got an even better crime story from this June in Central London. The police rushed round and battered down my front and back doors to rescue a burglar who was spotted unconscious and bleeding in my back garden because he had cut himself smashing my patio door. They did not charge him and are refusing to compensate me for the damage done to my home which has cost several thousand pounds to repair. And I also had to clean up the blood and broken glass everywhere. Victim support do not even bother to return my calls.
I think these robberies may be politically motivated. There have been a number in Portcullis House too.
http://kerroncross.blogspot.com/2006/11/politically-motivated-burglaries.html
They pander to Ethnic and sexual minorities, protect islamist fanatics, and harrass any motorist, threaten people who try to stop crime, and arrest people wearing "bollocks to Blair" teeshirts.
That's enough, isn't it?
One legacy of the Blair years is the total end of "Policng by consent" in this country. Tony and Ian can be proud of that achievement.
Sorry to hear about this.
I'm just so surprised that there was 5 cars done. Cheeky bastards must of known they had the time to nail all of them.
So what do the police bother investigating then?
I think we should have a campaign to "bring back national service for chavs". Good luck with the insurance claim.
I think we should have a campaign to "bring back national service for chavs".
It's about bloody time we did so!
Gentlemen should take to carrying pistols again.
It's a pity the private sector isn't allowed to provide police forces.
If these people got paid for actually solving crime or at least turning up they might actually make an effort.
I think el Dave (2:02) is guilty of wishful thinking if he is implying that the current concern over crime levels is simply a matter of perception.
It is not surprising if instances of certain crimes, including car break-ins and burglary, have declined. Improvements in technology have made them much less attractive crimes as security technology has made them more difficult, while the falling price of consumer electronics has reduced the gains to be made.
Violent crime is likely to have the greatest effect on perception, since it is more shocking and more memorable. Here, although there have been changes in the survey methods, the news is troubling:
http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/Page38.asp
http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/page66.asp
Was it ever any different. I know of similar crime waves when I was at university in the mid nineties in Coventry and the police were similarly dis-interested.
Sorry to hear about your car though.
Isn't it interesting how the police get very excited over relatively minor matters like doing 35mph in a 30 mph zone or not wearing a seat belt but yet when a far more serious matter like criminal damage occurs, they are prepared to do bugger all?
The police need to remember that they are the police SERVICE and not the police "force". If they really feel that there is nothing they can do, then there's no point in retaining a large police force. Just have a small dedicated unit to deal with very serious matters and use the rest of the money to pay compensation to victims of crime.
Well all very disagreable, to be sure.
But I might feel less happy if, when reporting an assault taking place in a West End Street, I were to be informed that "all our officers are out, looking at vandalised cars just now..."
Iain, what you guys needs is a guard parrot such as this big birdie: http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,451481,00.html
90 cm long, huge beak and serious attitude.
(for you that cannot read German, use babelfish ;)
I heard the alarms last night and they kept me awake. Having had a lot of involvement with the police locally lately I am pretty sure who was responsible for it. I saw one gang who are responsible for much of the trouble locally (and who I saw fire a rocket through my letterbox but who were not arrested!) run past at about half nine-ish last night. They rampage every now and again up that street and beyond up towards Kings Cross.
The police won't bother them as they'd rather "work with them" in the community. In the meantime we see too much of them in the community otherwise.
I don't know if this has been said yet but if they didn't show up you you should send your local police station the bill for all damage cause. I am sure you could get them to pay up because if you don't get it you just sue for services not received - you pay taxes for the police to solve crime and come to your aid.
Next time it happens just phone up and say they spray painted 'puffter' on the wall. They will come racing if they think it's a hate crime. If you don't want to do that, have a token minority on every show, you never know it couyld really be a hate crime then.
If they put as much effort into catching criminals as they do in catching speeding motorists we may get somewhere
Surprised you are surprised. Recently my car and nine others broken into at midday parked in hotel park cctv. Smash and grab.Cops not interested in coming out. Got five letters offering counselling, tips on how to protect valuables, take part in survey and a confirmation that if robbers caught I would be contacted. 5 telephone calls. Like the Govt, Surrey Police AAA on PR but effing useless at policing. Makes you want to weep. We have a Virtual Police Service(formerly Force). Transfer the bloody lot to Social Services.
The attacks on blogs, bloggers and blog TV are increasing all the time. The powers that be are seriously pissed off, so they are delighted to jam our blogs, pay trolls to fill them with dross, and now organise theft of or at least damage to our vehicles.
Political control is nearly total in Britain. The media dares not murmur a word. Bloggers are bound to be targeted.
I live in New York, and I can say with all certainty that I find this a much safer city to work and live than London. We have our criminality of course, but we also have a significantly more visible police presence everyday on the ground.
Police numbers is key - if Mike Bloomberg sacks Ray Allen over this latest brutality incident, the Home Secretary should go all out to attract him to London. If it was good enough to have a yank run the Tube, we could certainly do with some help with the police.
London doesn't work as a city anymore. Sad truth.
I read a feature about CCTV recently, when people were commenting about 'surveillance britain' and the fact that there is a camera for every 14 people. What shocked me was that in one particular year [back in the nineties, I think] half the home office budget had been spent on these bloody cameras. It was pretty high in other years as well. So a mountain of cash had been diverted from security of other kinds to fund them.
Now that is all well and good if it works. But the problem is that CCTV is only 'crime prevention' in a few cases. Bobbies on the beat prevent crime. CCTV is in most cases just a way of getting a picture of a horse bolting from an unlocked stable.
So now we have plenty of bloody cameras, but nothing to prevent and detect crime, and no political will to punish the bastards. I think you have hit a nerve here, Iain, and I hope David Cameron is listening.
I read a feature about CCTV recently, when people were commenting about 'surveillance britain' and the fact that there is a camera for every 14 people. What shocked me was that in one particular year [back in the nineties, I think] half the home office budget had been spent on these bloody cameras. It was pretty high in other years as well. So a mountain of cash had been diverted from security of other kinds to fund them.
Now that is all well and good if it works. But the problem is that CCTV is only 'crime prevention' in a few cases. Bobbies on the beat prevent crime. CCTV is in most cases just a way of getting a picture of a horse bolting from an unlocked stable.
So now we have plenty of bloody cameras, but nothing to prevent and detect crime, and no political will to punish the bastards. I think you have hit a nerve here, Iain, and I hope David Cameron is listening.
they were probably too busy arresting retired brigadiers out terrorising the
public with concealed knives big enough to peel a grape.
The response - or rather lack of - is disgusting. It's awful that you were at the rough end, but the fact you have highlighted the appalling police response may do some good. Possibly.
Andy Coxon says London doesn't work as a city any more. This is because there is no coherence any more. Over one-third of people living in London were born overseas. There is no agreement on what behaviour is desired and what behaviour won't be tolerated.
Iain,
Didn't we all discuss this on October 9th?
No change then.
You should have said you'd caught one of the toerags who had done it and were preparing to break his arms with a baseball bat, that would have had the police there.
Actually, I think most of you are being unfair. The police are not at all corrupt, cretinous or useless, and they do a very good job in difficult circumstances.....
........ONLY JOKING !!
CCTV can't protect anybody unless there are police officers on patrol who can respond quickly to any incidents the cameras pick up. At best they promote an illusion of security.
I've never been to this blog before. What is it? Just a place to go to slag off the police? Thanks, but I think I'd rather talk to the criminals than most of you, by the timbre of this blog. Disgraceful.
Ian Dale - am I right in thinking that Doughty Street is about 30 seconds walk away from Holborn Police Station, yeah? Seriously, was it really too much effort to go around there? Normally they'd arrange for a SOCO to visit the scene and will most likely have a forensic car clinic to check for marks. So now you haven't reported the crime on the basis of talking to one numpty at Metcall who doesn't know the area, and yet will complain that police do nothing (clearly you have no idea how busy police officers are - why not join the Specials and walk a day in their shoes, and THEN talk?). And let's go back to the days when hate crimes were ignored or tacitly encouraged by police officers, shall we. Shall we? Should we really go back to the days when discrimination & hate-crime was acceptable?
I would thought a good Conservative like yourself would be more into action than just sitting on bums, whining. Surely it's the preserve of Lefties and Libbies to sit on their backsides expecting everyone else to do things for them with their hands outstretched?? Get off your botty, go the 100 yeards or so to the police station, report the crime like a good citizen and stop expecting everyone else to do it.
Quite frankly, if these blog comments are typical of the view of the police by supposed right-wingers (or is it whingers??) then I sincerely hope someone else gets in next time. I'm shocked at how anti-police you all seem to be. I would have expected this from Commies, not good True-Blues!!!
Most officers are neither useless, lazy, nor in any way corrupt and try to do a good job despite the miles of red tape, the Human Rights Act seeming to act only for the criminal, the hostility and condension of the middle class, the open hostility of the working class, the constant threat of spurious complaints or lawsuits from vexatious litigators, the spinelessness of the CPS, the waste of time detailing minutiae just because some idiot lawyer is on the clock and wants to use up time with daft demands, the fact that every civilian thinks they're one's boss, the pages and pages one has to write to justify even the merest use of force (again, thanks to idiot lawyers, vexatious litigators and the HRA that enables them to milk the system for cash). Nah, don't bother thinking of this stuff at all - just slag off the poor bobby on the beat who tries to do a good job despite all this, and then gets vitriol such as is on these blog comments. I suppose it's the path of least resistance.
Rude. Rude. Rude.
You should have said you had caught the perp and murdered him - you would have had a rapid response tea, om a flash.
Do people actually think that 18 Doughty Street was targetted by this crime? If so, that gives them quite a lot of clout with frightened Labour.
Can you afford to hire a security guard for the time you're on the air - the police being non-present and hostile?
This is another issue: the hostility of the police towards the taxpayers. They favour "asylum seekers" aka "illegal immigrants" over the indigenous population of the British Isles. I've always held back from asking this question because it is too crazy, do "asylum seekers" and even new "immigrants" who are surplus to requirements, get votes in our ancient system?
Why did you British give away your beautiful and formerly stable, law-abiding country so easily? Why did you allow in swarms of dirt ignorant people who adhere to a hostile religion? And then accord them an unearned voice?
It is one of the great questions of our time.
FYI the American police say that the single best deterrent to crime is the presence of a watchdog, AND that the single most effective watchdog is - get this - a fox terrier, because they are both fiercely territorial and extremely loud.
Maybe next time you park the car you should leave the pooch in there to guard it? Jack Russells can be vicious when they're pissed off.
Oh, Raincoaster, Iain would never leave his Jack Russell in his car unattended! Never!
But he could have put a big message - "Helplessly hijacked Jack Russell bravely trying to defend my Audi barking because I think he is in distress!" on his car in crayon.
Cue the RSPA. They will come round with tv cameras for their next show and the dog would have been courageously rescued by breaking Iain's car window -- Oh, not again! -- and Iain would have had some interview opportunities.
So who loses? Gio? Iain? Looks good...
It is far more important to jail people for non-violent drug offences and non-payment of BBC licence fees than it is to catch thus and robbers. And as for allowing people to defend their property, forget it.
I am always amazed that the Tories don't make more of the quadrupling of violent assaults under NuLab. One million such assaults in '05. That means for the first time ever, the average person with an average lifespan has a better than evens chance of being a victim of one. Highlight one victim per week or something. Methinks the Tories have no clear idea what to do about it ... Firing Sir Ian Blair would be a good start.
Verity said: "This is another issue: the hostility of the police towards the taxpayers. They favour "asylum seekers" aka "illegal immigrants" over the indigenous population of the British Isles".
Verity mate, have a word with yourself. Do you have any evidence to support your bullshit proposition?
Why don't you muppets just call the waaaabulance and grow up.
Ya'lls true, bitter, colours are shining through...
seventy two comments shows a lot of discontent- the call for elected chief constables is justified, because nobody is accountable.
Verity.
"Why did you British give away your beautiful and formerly stable, law-abiding country so easily? Why did you allow in swarms of dirt ignorant people who adhere to a hostile religion? And then accord them an unearned voice?"
Because of our predilection for understatement, our inclusivity, our innate fairness and our inherent sense of justice.
In the face of "dirt ignorant people" we are currently powerless.
As has been said elsewhere the police are in the grip of some kind of mania which has bitten the hand that feeds them, i.e honest,average, white indigenous English people who would go about their private business quite happily if it was not for the fact that the term "Englishman's home is his castle" no longer has any value or legal currency.
I have to say I don't think it is their fault: the police are subject to the governance of the day and the ideological mix. At the moment it is a cocktail of 2 measures cultural fascism, one of mock socialism and a dash of perverted moralism.
We live in a country where black is white and white is black. Good is bad and bad is good.
When you have Blair invading sovereign countries in the name of "freedom", lying about nearly everything, refusing to acknowledge cultural meltdown by sticking to discredited ideas of multiculturalism, is is surprising that the police, who are after all trained to obey, do their master's bidding without giving it too much thought? If they did think, the ensuing confusion would be interesting to say the least.
Depressingly, Bob Worcester (MORI) said recently on 18DS that the Labour administration will trundle on under Brown, for a fourth term, albeit with a reduced majority.
By then, I hope that I will be somewhere more enlightened. Kazakhstan will do.
Just noticed, as if to make my point, there have been dawn raids in London - Five hundred police officers took part in dawn raids across London to combat domestic abuse, race and hate crimes.
So BLOODY GREAT!
You have to be female, gay or black to get the police out. Thank you fucking very much for nothing.
No body likes a queue jumper - it's not misogyny, homophobia or racism - merely our sense of fair play.
verity said...
Andy Coxon says London doesn't work as a city any more. This is because there is no coherence any more. Over one-third of people living in London were born overseas. There is no agreement on what behaviour is desired and what behaviour won't be tolerated.
---
Barking mad as ever, Verity. The poster had just given you the example of New York working, I agree with him, and that city has an even more diverse immigrant population than London! The problem is that the police in London have now become what Peter Hitchens (in a rare moment of lucidity) calls "social workers in paramilitary fatigues".
Sorry to read about this, and the police response is really insult to injury but sadly, C'est la vie!
:(
When I reported my bicycle stolen I was asked if I thought I'd been targeted because of my Race or Religion.
A week later I received a letter offering me Victim Support!
moi luvvr - I like you have lived in Brizzle for 15 years - my comment about it having been 'on the up' related to the millennium projects which looked as if they were going to enable it to compete with Cardiff.
Since then Bristol has gone down, and Cardiff, whilst it has its problems, has raced ahead with huge investment in the docks area, Millennium stadium and centre.
Perhaps we need an elected mayor to give the place the smack of firm government ? Though many voters here would assume that meant they were going to get subsidised heroin...
Terrible story. I had a vaguely similar situation. Our car was broken into repeatedly and after the second or third occasion, my girlfriend was talking to the policeman, complaining about the lack of service. After a few minutes, the conversation went as follows:
Policeman: "What colour is your car?"
Girlfriend: "Green."
Policeman: "Ah. My father always told me never to buy a green car."
That was the extent of their helpful advice and crime prevention.
But perhaps more annoying is the reaction of people to whom I have told this story. They often ask, "What do you expect the police to do?" Well, catch the criminal for a start. Isn't that the job of the police?
It's a pity the private sector isn't allowed to provide police forces.
If these people got paid for actually solving crime or at least turning up they might actually make an effort.
I take it that you haven't seen RoboCop yet.
I'm afraid that the "right on" Guardianista agenda is the only one that counts in PC Britain. Most people I talk to are "mad as hell" but the dear old Tories just want to hug a hoodie - out of touch with the bloke on the Clapham omnibus as usual.
A friend of mine had his house broken into. He lives in a big, isolated house and he could hear the intruder but not see him. He called the Police and told them he had an intruder and asked if they could send someone round. He was given the spiel about it not being their policy to come out to incidents like this. After a shortish exchange of views it became obvious nothing was going to happen. The burglar came and went. Fifteen minutes later he phoned the Police again (999) and said "I spoke to you a short while ago. Forget everything I said. I felt in danger from the intruder and I've just killed him." Approximately 11 seconds later a squad arrived and looked puzzled as there was no body or sign of violence. When asked, my friend said "There is no body, I have killed no-one, but unfortunately the only way to get the Police to respond was to lie." A very handy tip for anyone in that situation again - and no, he was not charged with wasting Police time or anything similar.
Hannibal, who seems unable to follow a simple declarative statement, writes: Barking mad as ever, Verity. The poster had just given you the example of New York working, I agree with him, and that city has an even more diverse immigrant population than London!
You were responding to my statement that London doesn't work as a city any more because there is no coherence. I added: Over one-third of people living in London were born overseas.
Yes, obviously New York has a very diverse population of immigrant origins. So does everywhere else in the United States, given it is a nation made up almost entirely of immigrants. (There were only ever around 4m Native Americans. America's population has just hit 300m.) But by far the greater part of NYC's population was born in the United States and brought up in the American way, with American schooling, American customs and American standards of behaviour.
This contrasts with London, where more than one-third of the inhabitants WERE BORN AND BROUGHT UP OVERSEAS. Can you spot the difference? Many of them are from primitive societies with abhorrent social customs (one of which is spitting on the street). They are not attuned to British ways, and, given that they constitute one-third of the population, there is no need for them to learn in order to fit in.
Therefore, there is no social coherence. There is no commonly agreed upon standard of behaviour.
May I suggest that the next time you race in to respond to a statement you have misunderstood, you do not close your reply with a triumphant exclamation mark.
Policeman: "What colour is your car?"
Girlfriend: "Green."
Policeman: "Ah. My father always told me never to buy a green car."
Of course everyone knows not to buy a green car; and as my father told me, it's no good getting it resprayed either, it is still green underneath.
Don't you people in London know anything?
Policeman: "What colour is your car?"
Girlfriend: "Green."
Policeman: "Ah. My father always told me never to buy a green car."
Of course everyone knows not to buy a green car; and as my father told me, it's no good getting one acquired other than by purchase
resprayed either, it's still green underneath.
Don't you people in London know anything?
Face it. They have given up counting most crimes against property as real crimes. Like the crims they think, "They're insured, so what's the problem?"
Soon they will stop taking violent crime seriously too, except in extreme cases, or where the victim has special claims by way of privilege or PC special status. We can already see the blame the victim mentality creeping in, with the advent of the don't show your mobiles in public ad campaigns. What's the point of owning one then, I think to myself.
Doesn't the fact that you drive a foreign German car make any difference ?
Verity/Hannibal,
I think there's an element of truth in what you say about having an accepted standard of behaviour. In NY (and especially in Manhattan) anti-social behaviour is frowned upon, in the street, on the subways etc and people are not afraid to make comment or disapprove, because ultimately there is a significant police presence which, if things do turn nasty (and they do), are fairly instantaneous.
Contrast this with London where I read time and again where people have been assaulted by 14 year olds for making comment or speaking out against anti-social behaviour.
I don't accept though that it's got anything to do with immigration. That's just not true, everyone knows what's acceptable behaviour and what isn't. The fact that a large number of the population choose not to in London is irrespective of their ethnic origin; it's because society (and the police) tolerate it.
Zero tolerance had a huge effect on this city. It's time London took notice.
Verity - I am an immigrant you misinformed, ignorant xenophobe. Unless you are just being wantonly cheeky (and you could have been a bit funnier in your prose if that was your intention) that's a bit of an insane comment.
In fact, most of the people who ask me what I expect the police to do are white British. But that, of course, has nothing to do with the query.
Andy Coxon - I agree with you about NYC, and especially Manhattan. There is a commonly accepted standard of behaviour and if you breach it, you are going to hear about it with great vigour. I admire this about Manhattanites.
ravster, what are you on? Please explain what you think xenophobe means. Do you really think Somalis and many other immigrant groups have British manners? I don't.
Having one-third of the population of a capital city born overseas causes, as I have said, a breakdown in the narrative. There is no social cohesion because people don't relate to any one set of behaviour and standards. People from the Anglosphere and people from Western Europe have a fairly standard sense of public behaviour. Many others do not, and it damages the fabric and cohesion of the city. And the police do nothing because one-third of the population is in the Most Favoured Immigrant group.
And yes, of course, there are British oiks as well.
Do explain your understanding of xenophobe as I find this usage so quaint.
Bringing the debate back round - I found this on the Met's own website:
The definition of 'police':
In 1829 Sir Richard Mayne (the First Commissioner of the Met) wrote:
"The primary object of an efficient police is the prevention of crime: the next that of detection and punishment of offenders if crime is committed. To these ends all the efforts of police must be directed. The protection of life and property, the preservation of public tranquillity, and the absence of crime, will alone prove whether those efforts have been successful and whether the objects for which the police were appointed have been attained."
It would seem to me, from the small anecdotal evidence on this blog alone, that the Met is failing rather abysmally on all counts, by its own standards.
Weeping with laughter and tears at these comments. Some excellent ideas here, too.
If any would like a break from today's all-too-rambunctious London streets,check out http:www.britsattheirbest.com
All the best.
I thought Bob Worcester on 18 Doughty St was quite rivetting.
verity - I am living in England, and was born in Wales, wanna make something of it ??
Your comment about somalis stinks.
for my money I would say that Asians are far more well-mannered than the majority of English kids these days.
Brave, fearless "Anonymous" of 11:16 says, "verity - I am living in England, and was born in Wales, wanna make something of it ??"
Can you read? One-third of the population of London was BORN AND BROUGH UP OVERSEAS. Study that one simple sentence before busting a gut to get your next killer point in. (Unless you think Wales is overseas, in which case we have a lot of remedial work to do.)
Continuing with Anonymous the Brave: "Your comment about somalis stinks." Why? Can you articulate a reasonable argument why my comment is not to your liking?
Anymous the Brave says: "for my money I would say that Asians are far more well-mannered than the majority of English kids these days."
For my money, I wonder why you think Somalia is in Asia.
Regarding Asians being better mannered than "the majority of English kids" - I'm sorry you live on a crappy estate, but blame the destructive,bossy, controlling socialists, not me.
Anonymous 11:16 - does the word 'dhimmitude' ring a bell?
Mmmh, I think some of you should perhaps visit this place and remember that policemen are people too, and fight an insane system:
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/
His book is very funny, but still a serious read.
The next time 18D has such a scoop, please don't just put the phone down, but go and investigate (in a nice way) and find out what actually happens and why. I felt this all was a bit of a missed opportunity for joining up the dots across two blog communities.
I am sorry to hear that Iain. You think it was just stealing or was it a purposeful attack on the station? The fact they would not come out is just appalling.
100 not out !
"Who elected the gumment? You did"
But remember that it was out of a choice of only 2 parties who, if you vote for them might get in. Einstsein & Jesus Christ couldn't elect a good government if forced to choose only between Blair & Cameron.
I agree with Permanent Expat. The first time Blair ran, he was so obviously a flim-flam man, so obviously a shallow confidence trickster, I was shocked that people voted him in.
And I started to make arrangements to move out.
The electorate had a chance to see four years of bullying - remember Alastair Campbell, "multiculturalism" forced down the throat of the electorate, thought fascism politely terms "political correctness", a creeping EUSSR, an inept Brown at the Exchequer, "exciting new initiatives with which Blair could be personally associated", the ineptitude of their empty education policies, Brown bullying Oxford for not accepting some girl, Peter Mandelson's mortgages? Remember?
Signing Britain up to the notorious Human Rights Act. Everything false - done for show -, phony, chilling. With vapid, empty Tony tapdancing across the stage as the STAR!
I thought they'd be kicked out at the next election, but no, the stupid British said he should "be given a chance" for his policies (undetectable to the naked eye)to kick in. Well, of course, they never did because there weren't any. Education declined further, the NHS declined further, immigration soared because all these tribal illiterates who brought with them an alien religion which is not compatible with the advanced West were going to strengthen the economy. He never did say how. Blair lied about everything.
I left.
IDS didn't have charisma, but he was a steady pair of hands and he had the right attitude: he hates Tony Blair - a real vote winner in my book.
Michael Howard is a highly intelligent, experienced politician. But the British voted for the suicide option and decided to give Blair and the inept, sleazy slithering cabinet (Yes, Tessa Jowell and John Prescott, we're looking at you) yet one more chance. Blair has been in the Last Chance Saloon for eight years and he hasn't moved off his barstool. Still there.
Sadly, I agree with Bob Worcester. I think the British are so brain dead they will vote them back in, albeit with a much reduced majority. More dereliction of duty, more services going to wrack and ruin, more immigrants, schools teaching political correctness but not the basics, an ever-larger army of thought fascists in the form of real nappy coordinators and outreach and diversity officers and blah blah blah, ever more legislation to police people's thoughts.
I believe around 3m Brits have left Britain since Blair got in. These are all people who were qualified to work and were admitted to a new country for their skills and/or their education. Three million is quite a brain drain.
Oh yes, back to the point of this thread: the police have been gelded by New Labour. Crime, muggings, rapes,including rapes of children, murders ... all an unexceptional part of the toxic British wasteland today.
Blair doesn't address them, because it was all intended this way. Now he has moved on to global warming.
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