Legitimate policing or big brother attitude?

[nick mercedes]

Originally Posted by Swiss Toni

You take his car off him.

Because he is a burglar (and they don't tend to bother with insurance...!) and deny his the use of the road.

You do this every time he drives a car without insurance.

You prevent him being able to get about and comit his offences.

You prosecute him for no insurance and get him banned from driving.

And

Because he is a burglar and a driving ban will not actually stop him driving, you catch him in a roadside ANPR check (hey, like this one!), arrest him for driving whilst disqualified and he gets 3 months inside.

It happens regularly and works very well.

But what if he has insurance?

Surely any bright theif will just use a hire car or a legal car in someone's elses name?

Like all these bright ideas the criminals will get round them and innocent drivers - you and me will get inconveninced...

[BonzoDog]

Originally Posted by nick mercedes

But what if he has insurance?

Surely any bright theif will just use a hire car or a legal car in someone's elses name?

Like all these bright ideas the criminals will get round them and innocent drivers - you and me will get inconveninced...

But that's the point isn't it? The 'brick it and nick it' brigade tend not to do joined up thinking. It's called modus operandii.

[nick mercedes]

Originally Posted by BonzoDog

But that's the point isn't it? The 'brick it and nick it' brigade tend not to do joined up thinking. It's called modus operandii.

So you round up all the dim criminals leaving the brighter ones to get on with bigger things?

[Pontoneer]

Originally Posted by andy_k

How about the police hit an area in the small hours of the morning and clamp every non taxed car whilst the owners are sleeping then come around the next day and complete the paperwork.Andy

I've currently got 3 cars that are legitimately off the road SORN'd but not taxed , insured or MOT'd .

I'd be pretty angry if the cops came up my drive/broke into my garage during the night and clamped or removed my cars .

[BonzoDog]

Originally Posted by nick mercedes

But what if he has insurance?

Surely any bright theif will just use a hire car or a legal car in someone's elses name?

Like all these bright ideas the criminals will get round them and innocent drivers - you and me will get inconveninced...

On the other hand I can put my politically correct hat on and agree with you that once he has paid for his crime that is it. And in this case, providing all was legit, he would have nothing to fear.
But we do not want to get into the iniquities of the criminal justice system and the inadequacy of prisons as places of reform, or do we?
Actually I have been stopped by the Police several times and it usually gives me a good story. My only concern with this is that I must look like a criminal type.

[Pontoneer]

Originally Posted by nick mercedes

Surely any bright theif will just use a hire car or a legal car in someone's elses name?

One day , if not already , the car hire firms computers will tie in with the cops at the roadside check :

ANPR will recognise the car as belonging to "ABC rent-a-car" , currently on hire to "Light-fingered Fred" , wanted for x,y,z

[andy_k]

Originally Posted by Swiss Toni

Because he is a burglar and a driving ban will not actually stop him driving, you catch him in a roadside ANPR check (hey, like this one!), arrest him for driving whilst disqualified and he gets 3 months inside.

and precisely how many arrests were made yesterday?

All that manpower could have been far better but less publicly used to enforce outstanding warrants, round up bail absconders or arresting shop lifters.

To "waste" over 40 police officers for a day along with Department of work and pensions staff, customs and excise staff and all the so called planning isn't "investigating" anything.

It's just taking a chance that a criminal will drive past whilst you are standing at the side of the road and hopefully he or she will have been stupid enough to be driving an illegal car.

Andy

[Shude]

Originally Posted by nick mercedes

So you round up all the dim criminals leaving the brighter ones to get on with bigger things?

Brighter criminals probably tend to do long-term or big jobs and pay their bills etc so don't appear on the radar! It's only the dumb ones that get caught.

[nick mercedes]

Originally Posted by Pontoneer

One day , if not already , the car hire firms computers will tie in with the cops at the roadside check :

ANPR will recognise the car as belonging to "ABC rent-a-car" , currently on hire to "Light-fingered Fred" , wanted for x,y,z

Proper big brother stuff.

[nick mercedes]

Originally Posted by andy_k

and precisely how many arrests were made yesterday?

All that manpower could have been far better but less publicly used to enforce outstanding warrants, round up bail absconders or arresting shop lifters.

To "waste" over 40 police officers for a day along with Department of work and pensions staff, customs and excise staff and all the so called planning isn't "investigating" anything.

It's just taking a chance that a criminal will drive past whilst you are standing at the side of the road and hopefully he or she will have been stupid enough to be driving an illegal car.

Andy

It's easy policing though, makes the figures look good...

[glojo]

Originally Posted by BonzoDog

My only concern with this is that I must look like a criminal type.

Many a true word (I've never been stopped, I think it must be the halo hovering above my bonce!!)

I am still totally confused by most, if not all of 'nick mercedes' posts. What on earth has Iraq got to do with this operation. I have NOT read anything that has stated ALL cars were stopped!!! Could someone please show me where it says this? Was this operation mounted on those beautiful sandy beaches that must look similar to a desert??

I cannot get my head around the other post that suggests a criminal 'might' not reoffend?? That surely is the talk of the politically correct brigade. Surely a convicted 30 year old burglar has more chance of committing another burglary as opposed to a law abiding 30 year old person?

By the very fact someone is a convicted of a crime, suggests they MUST\might be a repeat offender?

In this modern age of compassion, understanding and forgiveness, the poor persecuted 'criminal' would have to commit crime after crime, after crime, after crime before officialdom gives up on the caution route. Going to court is no doubt seen by some as harrassment? These poor misguided, misunderstood people are simply picked upon by our oppressive 'Iraqi' Police Force who have nothing better to do. How dare the Police hold 'intelligence' on these persecuted' oppressed victimised individuals.

The computer states car 'x' is used by a convicted drug dealer, how dare the Police stop it. The information might be wrong! Our Police force should stick to patrolling the streets of Baghdad or Basrah and NOT harrass our hard done by, completely misunderstood law abiding criminals !!!!!

John the driver of a stolen car

[glojo]

Originally Posted by andy_k

and precisely how many arrests were made yesterday?

To "waste" over 40 police officers for a day along with Department of work and pensions staff, customs and excise staff and all the so called planning isn't "investigating" anything.

Crikey Andy,
I take your point about FORTY Police officers. However.... Show me an honest newspaper jounalist and I'll show you someone on the dole!! The story MIGHT be true and if it was then you are dealing with 'Met' type numbers. Four officers standing outside a Police Station

Am I right in thinking that perhaps a large number of offences could be dealt with at the scene? In your aricle it mentions a couple that were detained!

If I was a local council tax payer I would be miffed if there were FORTY officers involved.

John

[Sp!ke]

Speaking from the point of view as someone that once lost a motorcycle to a Police pound for six months due to a combination of DVLA clerical errors and Police ineptitude, I must say that despite having all the correct documentation for all my vehicles, I do fear any police checks in case the same were to happen again.

Today, too much emphasis is placed on often trivial motoring crime and not enough on criminals in my book and any attempts by the PO to try and link the two is nothing more than PR spin in my view.

[glojo]

Originally Posted by Sp!ke

Today, too much emphasis is placed on often trivial motoring crime and not enough on criminals in my book and any attempts by the PO to try and link the two is nothing more than PR spin in my view.

Hi Sp!ke,
You have raised some very valid points, but in future do you think being rude or obstructive would help your cause when stopped.

I have ALWAYS felt that simple, minor motoring offences are a very quick way to ruin goodwill between the Police and public. The 'innocent' motorist is a soft target for these minor offences, but once we are talking no MOT, tax, insurance or worse, then surely we all might agree these types should be persecuted?

John

[prprandall51]

Originally Posted by nick mercedes

It's easy policing though, makes the figures look good...

But the fact that 40 officers took part meant that the operation got widespread publicity. I'll bet it was mentioned on the Radio, local TV and in all the press.

Thus, the effects and the value of the operation will extend way beond the actual results on the day. Tax and insurance dodgers have seen that they are not imune and invisible out on the open road and will hopefully decide that the risk is not worth it.

It may make drug dealers think twice before setting out with their stash, thus hampering their business activities.

In these days of tight Police budgets, I would be highly surprised if this operation went ahead without a cost / benefit analysis first. Senior officers - who are short on resources - must surely put a lot of thought into how best to deploy 40 officers to get the maximum policing return. This doesn't smack of wasted resources to me.

Philip