So yesterday I was walking out the house to my car and on the other side of the road, three sketchy looking characters were loading a new looking suspension mountain bike into the back of a van. I only heard snatches of conversation but pretty sure I heard them talking about finding someone to sell it to.
I took a picture of the van with the reg plate, and the driver saw and became quite agitated. Started waving at me and then came over to ask why I was taking pictures of his van. It had a builders logo on the side so I said I was planning some building work and wanted to get quotes and was taking a pic for the number. That seemed to pacify him and he went off.
Anyway, is it worth letting the local police know of the reg plate and what I saw in case anyone reports a missing bike, or am I just wasting my/police’s time? It may all be completely innocent as well, suspicious as it looked.
Yes.
I do the same around here, because of horses and dogs, among other things.
If nothing comes of it, so be it, but if that van comes up in police business, the more infornation they have, all the better.
I’d file the report. It’ll be a minimal waste of the police’s time (they’ll have civilians on it) and might just help someone get their property back, and felons get some justice.
It’s really very simple to cross refer it to thefts in the area.
If they can match it you will have evidence.
If not you haven’t wasted much time. Ask to speak to the local beat officer / PCSO and talk them through it for advice?
Definitely report it, either via 101 or online.
It makes our job a lot easier and helps to build Intel. As said above, if nothing comes of it there’s no harm done.
my vet tells me here have been 6 cat thefts in this vicinity over the last 5 or so years. Typically they nick your cat, owners put up signs offering a £50 quid reward or similar. Owners get a call, say you can have moggy back for £1000 or more… vet tells me all owners he knows about paid, 2 got their cats back.
