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Theft victim: police haven’t got my clues
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date online: 01 September 2009
A BUSINESSMAN says he has been let down by police after they failed to respond to a theft — despite having CCTV footage and a crucial lead.
Security cameras captured the moment a couple stole a £250 laptop from Positive IT Solutions, Ashton Road, Hathershaw at 10.30am on Friday, August 14.
Owner Paul Milner (34) reported the incident to police the following Monday but despite making numerous calls since he had still had no police response nearly two weeks later.
He has even done his own detective work by showing locals a picture of the couple and finding someone prepared to tell officers where they live.
The couple waited for a shop assistant to be distracted before taking the laptop.
Mr Milner said: “It’s all on CCTV as clear as day. They come trundling in and he puts the laptop under his coat and she steals the charger. We have all the evidence and the police don’t want to do anything about it.
“It’s really annoying that we have not had a response, especially when it’s an open and shut case.”
“If they had responded early enough we would probably have been able to recover it but now we won’t. Just because we have had a slow reaction from Oldham Police we are facing a loss.”
Ironically, at the time of the offence Police Community Support Officers were setting up a stall at a near-by community centre to tell the public “we are here to support you.”
The computer shop has been in business for three years, and at Ashton Road for six months, and is part of the Government’s Home Access scheme to provide laptops for disadvantaged families.
Mr Milner added: “It’s upsetting. We are a small business running a Government-funded project that’s here to help the community and when we have a theft the police don’t turn up.”
All police will tell Mr Milner is that the crime has not yet been allocated to an officer.
Neighbourhood Insp Alan Humphries said officers called the victim immediately after the crime was reported and agreed to collect the CCTV footage. He added: “The footage is being collected, and this will assist our ongoing inquiry.”
Comments
not attending callouts is just another way to reduce the crime rates around the borough to make it look as if crime is down.
just like reduced numbers on patrol in the town centre at weekends. its means less officers can deal with disturbances. meaning lower figures.
No point in blaming the PCSO's they are a failed experiment, never to have effectiveness evaluated.
Nothing new from the useless brigade. I'm still waiting for them to come round weeks after a reported crime. Time they were privatised! Money incentivises them no end, just look at the response to speeding when they make money from it!
The police will soon come round when they see he has shown pictures of the theives to the locals - they'll want to arrest him for abusing their human rights.
We need to follow the american way and vote for our chief police officers.
Flake, which planet are you on? The police don't catch speeders, I see hundreds a day speeding, parking on double yellows, driving through red lights, stopping on crossings, driving down bus lanes, breaking any law they choose knowing the police are utterly useless and won't do anything about it, yet you perpetuate the myth of the "persecuted" driver. Police don't turn up when requested. Simple as that.
There seems to be a hell of a lot of people on here who are very anti-police. Well, if the service they provide is really that bad, next time you get burgled or your daughter gets raped, simply don't bother calling them!
They will never be privatised because for something to be privatised, it means the "customers" or the people who use that service would have to pay for that service, and let's face it, a good percentage of Oldhamers would not be in a position to pay for these services!
Only one laptop? Not much chance of a result then. Oldham council managed to 'lose' seventeen in one go in January. Anyone heard a whisper about anybody being apprehended for that or the laptops being recovered? Nah, thought not. There's probably still a council dummy sat holding a paper with a crime number, in the Tower Of Babble. GMP will get round to it once they can allocate it to an officer. Trouble is they are all tied up in 3000 man raids & court appearances.
OldhamWatcher the percentage of driver related incidents compared with other crimes will be rather high. driver related incidents are easily run through in paperwork and also have a value in fines that can be gained. in the last 3 years ive been a victim of crime 5 times and not one officer has visited. yet i see them all the time loitering trying to catch motorists.
so yes, they do persecute drivers.
Fact is ST that most people would not contact the police if the insurance firms did not need a crime number.As for the stupid comment of rape,well.
The everyday "Bobby" is constantly under pressure and can't seem to do right for doing wrong!!! There are too many chiefs and not enough indians in the police force today, the frontline officers deserve respect for dealing with things the majority of people wouldn't want to! They are governed by targets and mountains of paperwork, if they gave power back to the "Bobby on the beat" then this country would change for the better!!!
fedupoldhamer: It would be interesting to know how you have been a victim of crime on 5 occasions in the last 3 years - for what type of crime exactly.
Surely when you were a victim once, you did something to try and prevent yourself from becoming a victim in the future? If not, more fool you!
thats true the oldham police in the head lines again they will only respond when there has been a murder not a petty crime, i am still waiting for a crime to be resolved by the oldham police, its no point calling them because they never reply back, well done oldham police, the pcso are a waste of time wana be police
Have Your Say
my daughter lives in hathershaw and dialled 999 on 5th november 2007 and she is still waiting for them to respond
By kardan @ 01/09/2009 12:56:50