Real policeman clarify this?
I believe there's something called "going equipped", so a policeman can arrest you if they think you're off to rob somewhere. Not sure what you can be convicted for.
See someone with Bolt Cutters - what would you do?
- Thread starter SquareDaff
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Real policeman clarify this?
I believe there's something called "going equipped", so a policeman can arrest you if they think you're off to rob somewhere. Not sure what you can be convicted for.
TwickenhamCyclist
Guest
Errr...
"Going Equipped"
Theft Act 1968 Section 25(1)
Offence: It is an offence for a person, when not at his place of abode, to have with him any article for use in the course of or in connection with any burglary, theft or cheat.
Powers: Any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is or whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be, committing an offence under this section. Section 25(4)
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
Joe Public would never be pulled for this, you would need a history as long as your arm and even the I'd like to see the Police make it stick. If they got anything worse than a caustion I would be amazed.
The Police know they stand little chance of prosecution so they wont waste their time.
We have all seen the Police Camera programmes where the police pull over a known stolen car, both the driver and passenger jump in the back seat and it is impossible to even prove which one was driving let alone who stole it so they both get off.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
I think you don't quite understand, the police in police cars are different altogether from the fashion police.
You'll need a lot more than a half hidden pair of bolt cutters to get anyone's attention.
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooa3NVfFlEU[/media]
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooa3NVfFlEU[/media]
Little yellow Brompton
A dark destroyer of biscuits!
- Location
- Bridgend
"going equipped to steal" if you google it you will lots of incidents of people being arrested for it.
the snail
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham
I knew someone who got done for that - he was going to do a smash and grab on a shop, and got caught carrying his brick there in a carrier bag...
OP
OP
SquareDaff
Über Member
- Location
- Doncaster, South Yorkshire
I can't believe that!! Would be interesting to setup something similar in the UK.
Maybe one in London and one in a small town somewhere. People in big cities (excuse the generalisation!) seem (to me!!) a lot more prone to ignore this sort of thing.
Digital_Cowboy
New Member
- Location
- Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fl, USA
Uh, given that anything at anytime can be used in connection with any burglary, theft or cheat:
a) how is a person suppose to transport say a pair of bolt cutters from where they bought them to their home?
b) what about the maintenance worker who needs bolt cutters to cut bolts and other pieces of metal?
c) depending on how it's interpreted even a car or bicycle could be an "article" for use in connection with any burglary, theft or cheat.
Several years ago I had a friend who was stopped for speeding. The road that he was on had a slower speed sign about mid hill on a downhill side of a hill. After the officer had stopped my friend and issued him the ticket and was walking back to his squad car he noticed a broken shovel handle in the backseat of my friends car. He took the handle and didn't say anything to my friend about it. When my friend got to court and paid his fine for the speeding ticket. He asked the judge about shovel handle, asking if the officer was allowed to just take his shovel handle without saying anything. He was informed that no, he couldn't. And removed half of the points and ordered that the officer pay half of the fine.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
I was amazed that he opened a piece of street furniture and plugged his grinder in
. Do American city councils supply these specifically for theives to use?
punkedmonkey
Active Member
I had a friend at Uni who broke the key off his in his lock on a busy street - he tried everything to get the lock undone, but ended up having to resort to a petrol grinder/cutter to cut through the lock. No-one batted an eyelid.
A second anecdote - I recently witnessed a guy sizing up bikes and locks on bike racks. Long story short, I called 999 while I tailed the guy, watched him size up some more bikes and then crash an outdoor event. Police caught him, arrested him for going equipped, crashing the ticket only event and something else. He had pliers or some such on him apparently. He was in court for plea the other day - I presume he pleaded guilty, or I'm gonna end up as a witness in the next couple of months. All in all I was quite pleased with the police's response. And given I have had a bike stolen I now feel I have evened things up a bit and hopefully saved someone from some frustration/heartbrake.
And I felt like Jack Bauer tailing him...
A second anecdote - I recently witnessed a guy sizing up bikes and locks on bike racks. Long story short, I called 999 while I tailed the guy, watched him size up some more bikes and then crash an outdoor event. Police caught him, arrested him for going equipped, crashing the ticket only event and something else. He had pliers or some such on him apparently. He was in court for plea the other day - I presume he pleaded guilty, or I'm gonna end up as a witness in the next couple of months. All in all I was quite pleased with the police's response. And given I have had a bike stolen I now feel I have evened things up a bit and hopefully saved someone from some frustration/heartbrake.
And I felt like Jack Bauer tailing him...
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
Many years ago there was a 'market place' at the John Lewis end of the Trafford centre. There was a tool stall there and I went in to buy a large tree felling axe one Saturday. The seller didn't have a bag big enough for it so I took it as it was.
Walking the length of the Trafford Centre with an axe over my shoulder was like Moses and the Red Sea.
The crowds parted and gave me a wide berth but no one challenged me.
I've never been stopped for having bolt cutters, nor breaking in tools, but then I always had a legitimate reason for carrying them.
Walking the length of the Trafford Centre with an axe over my shoulder was like Moses and the Red Sea.
The crowds parted and gave me a wide berth but no one challenged me.
I've never been stopped for having bolt cutters, nor breaking in tools, but then I always had a legitimate reason for carrying them.
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
Many years ago there was a 'market place' at the John Lewis end of the Trafford centre. There was a tool stall there and I went in to buy a large tree felling axe one Saturday. The seller didn't have a bag big enough for it so I took it as it was.
Walking the length of the Trafford Centre with an axe over my shoulder was like Moses and the Red Sea.
The crowds parted and gave me a wide berth but no one challenged me.
I've never been stopped for having bolt cutters, nor breaking in tools, but then I always had a legitimate reason for carrying them.
that was a good tool shop when it opened. I got a 1st day discount of 85% on anything i wanted. spent nearly £500 after the discounts had been applied
.as an aside, I did the power supplies to the clock in the centre of the festival village and most of the small power to the shop units. there used to be a realy good butchers where the Burger king is (under the animatronic bvears if they are still there !!!!
ahhh the good old days of working for Drake and Scull
CopperCyclist
Veteran
Twickenham Cyclist and Beebo are both pretty much spot on. The offence of going equipped is very much in use, and also very well known - I don't think you'll find many officers that haven't arrested someone for it.
However, despite what the poster says about bike thieves could be wearing full Lycra, they tend not to, their most common uniform of choice to be tracksuit, baseball cap with an option of a hoody if cold. Yes yes, I know I shouldn't stereo type but there you go.
Beebo's right about having trouble making it stick as well. If they have a lot of previous, it's not too hard, but a normal member of public, with no convictions, able to easily explain why they are carrying said croppers is really not likely to find themselves in any trouble.
Would I have stopped you... I've been wondering this since reading your post, and do you know, I'm just not sure. It's one of those where on paper, perhaps I should - however I think in reality, you, your outfit, your bike itself and (potentially) the manner of your riding would have possibly added up to meaning those police mans instincts wouldn't have been fired, and I too, may have driven right past you!
However, despite what the poster says about bike thieves could be wearing full Lycra, they tend not to, their most common uniform of choice to be tracksuit, baseball cap with an option of a hoody if cold. Yes yes, I know I shouldn't stereo type but there you go.
Beebo's right about having trouble making it stick as well. If they have a lot of previous, it's not too hard, but a normal member of public, with no convictions, able to easily explain why they are carrying said croppers is really not likely to find themselves in any trouble.
Would I have stopped you... I've been wondering this since reading your post, and do you know, I'm just not sure. It's one of those where on paper, perhaps I should - however I think in reality, you, your outfit, your bike itself and (potentially) the manner of your riding would have possibly added up to meaning those police mans instincts wouldn't have been fired, and I too, may have driven right past you!
