Spooky « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG

Spooky

July 11, 2008 by inspectorgadget

I packed loads of Ruralshire T Shirts last night. The remainder of the original stock to be exact. Debbie was complaining that I never listen to her. Or something like that.

Looking at the names and addresses; I know at least three of you personally. Two from my own force and one who was, and has since transferred.

After taking measures to get them posted from a location as far away from my County as possible, it is strange to see the names of people I work with on the sales sheets!

I want to send one to:

PC David Copperfield in Canada (I don’t ship abroad yet)

PC Bloggs (she still hasn’t sent me a Blandshire fleece after a year!)

Dan Collins (he will probably get nicked trying to be a vigilante somewhere)

The Norfolk Police Chief Constable (he knows why)

Hazel Blears because I love her so much after all she did for us (and then I woke up)

There and back to see how far it is (because she deserves cheering up!)

I told Dan Collins today about the old scam of ‘criming’ Theft of Credit Card twice so you always get a Government Target result out of it even if the offender is caught using the card ‘out of county’; in this scam, you also crime the theft of the plastic card itself - value “£1 or less” and therefore pick up the Detection, but only if it’s recovered from the detainee.

As usual, as a member of the public, he was shocked by this scam; I don’t think he will be believing the crime stats over “theft” again do you? Personally, I thought everyone knew about that one, it just shows that you can learn something new every day.

Gadget Note: Detection or Crime Reduction scams used by your force welcome in the Comments section. I might put them in the book if they are original enough!

Posted in 1 | 33 Comments

33 Responses to “Spooky”

on July 11, 2008 at 5:37 pm1 InnercityPC

Most people may do it but in inner city, folk top up their detections by issuing PNDs for peeing in the street. It is being counted as a section 5.

An extremely large percentage of inner city’s detection rate is derived from this.
on July 11, 2008 at 5:47 pm2 metcountymounty

I’m really really surprised we aren’t told to do the theft of plastic one in the Met which is wierd considering the number of people who get cards nicked and used almost immediately. If it is done then it’s probably something that the crime desk do behind closed doors and don’t announce it publicly, I really can’t see the Div Comm missing a trick that that in detection collecting.
on July 11, 2008 at 5:48 pm3 metcountymounty

like that even
on July 11, 2008 at 6:38 pm4 blueboy

A favourite in my farce is street cautions for cannabis possession. When the detections are down the well known discreet haunts hit, and hey-presto, half-a-dozen detections if you are lucky!

Of course when crime reduction ‘targets’ start suffering this scam has to be turned off.
on July 11, 2008 at 7:03 pm5 PC Bloggs

You might be waiting for a Blandshire fleece after a year, but it’s worse for us here in Blandmore: at least you aren’t still waiting for your new body armour or handcuffs.
on July 11, 2008 at 7:22 pm6 inspectorgadget

Bloggs
Purchase 10 Ruralshire T Shirts from a well known web store and wear them all simultaneously thus providing you with the protection you need?
on July 11, 2008 at 9:29 pm7 metcountymounty

and then look like a navy blue Michelin man instead……
on July 11, 2008 at 10:04 pm8 Terri

Er… ‘Guv. Very sorry and all that, but I seem to have scored an own goal in your web-store. It was taking an indescribably long time to load and I will admit I became impatient and refreshed the page, left the site, went back, made coffee, said rude words to the screen etc, (as you do).
Only once the Paypal screen had finally returned an order number and completed the transaction, did it dawn on me that it had reverted to its original sizing default, not the size I thought I had requested.
Is it too late to beg forgiveness and get that changed?
Your humble servant etc etc etc
Terri
on July 11, 2008 at 10:41 pm9 inspectorgadget

Terri
I can see your order. What size do you want it changed to? Tell me here and I will over-ride the system. Sounds interesting!
on July 11, 2008 at 11:39 pm10 Terri

Could you please change it to an XXL - the gent I am buying it for is 6′6″ and weighs 200lbs - and whilst imagining him being squished into something that small would entertain me immensely, getting the right size is obviously a better bet in the long run.
He’s no longer resident in the UK, but is still an avid reader of the Gadget blog and is by-passing your current UK only restriction by getting me to buy it and post it on.
Thanks
Terri
on July 12, 2008 at 7:24 am11 Simon J Bradford

Gadget,

Got my 2 t shirts this morning, Gadget, being an honest member of Her Majesty’s Constabulary, I thought I’d let you know I only ordered one…. let me know how I can return the other one. Using this as can’t way any other way to contact you…
on July 12, 2008 at 8:27 am12 inspectorgadget

Simon J Bradford
Thanks for your honesty!!! I have checked and I must have been packing at 2.00 am or something. Kindly send the tshirt to
Monday Books
The Hayloft
Wolvey Lodge
Cloudesley Bush Lane
Wolvey
Leicestershire
LE10 3HB
I will send you the postage cost by paypal.
Cheers
Gadget
on July 12, 2008 at 9:17 am13 No Offences Disclosed

Boss, got my T-shirt this morning, lovely fit, handsome embroidery. Cheers.

Re the plastic scam mentioned: Have your force started employing ‘Roger the Dodger’ from the Beano (now he’s grown up) to come up with imaginative ways to cook the books?
on July 12, 2008 at 9:36 am14 inspectorgadget

No Offences - glad the t shirt is good; have linked to you on sidebar. Great Blog.
on July 12, 2008 at 9:42 am15 No Offences Disclosed

Thanks, I’m much obliged to you…
on July 12, 2008 at 10:18 am16 not of these shores

Cheers Guv, just got the t-shirts……..very nice too. Now I can really say I’ve been there,done it and got the t-shirt.
on July 12, 2008 at 10:45 am17 metcountymounty

Guv, delivery turned up this morning and I’ll be trying them out soon, I’ll let you know how they stand up to full L2 armour and a couple of days of running around like a headless chicken!!
on July 12, 2008 at 11:21 am18 some bloke down Dorset way

Turned up this morning boss. My happy band have what they’re calling a “Blue Light Day” tomorrow (in other words Dorset Police’s open day), I’ve volunteered to take the girlfriend’s son down for the day. I’ll be wearing it to see if anyone notices! Or, joy of joys, to see if anyone else has one!. . . . what’s the secret Ruralshire handshake?
on July 12, 2008 at 11:28 am19 metcountymounty

oh the secret handshake as GOT to be a jumping high five… that would be ace. And very discreet too.
on July 12, 2008 at 12:09 pm20 inspectorgadget

The secret Ruralshire handshake is to display the Diver’s OK sign - in this case meaning a doughnut.
on July 12, 2008 at 2:04 pm21 Area Trace No Search

Still waiting for mine, but I have plans for them.
They’ll be useful for Officer Safety training as well…
on July 12, 2008 at 3:28 pm22 OneOffDave

Got mine this morning, very impressed. I’ve got a nice multi-agency exercise coming up soon so will have it on as a semi-visible base layer and see if anyone notices.
on July 12, 2008 at 3:31 pm23 rex imperator

Mine arrived today - many thanks.

I meant to order one long and one short sleeve but entirely my fault as I made two separate orders and I (NOT YOU) messed up. So if I order a L/S now, I will have three layers to protect me. What fun….
on July 12, 2008 at 3:37 pm24 Careful with that Axe

Hi

T-Shirt arrived this morning, but long-sleeved T was missing, although both had been marked on the label.
Haven’t been able to find any other way to contact you regarding this except for posting here. Apologies.

Maybe set up a contact on store page for any queries?
on July 12, 2008 at 7:04 pm25 Black Dog

Boss,

Got my shirt today and I am exceedingly pleased with it - just in time to take on holiday with me and confuse all the French when they look at it!

On another note (as a non-force reader of the blog) I’d like to put a big THANK YOU out to South Wales police. I had to deal with them recently over some vandalism to my property and they were efficient, kind, understanding and very professional throughout my dealings - exactly all the things that don’t get reported in the press.
on July 12, 2008 at 8:10 pm26 ACR Blues

Just got back from late shift to find the goods waiting for me, excellent service, but only what I would expect from you IG, thanks very much.
on July 13, 2008 at 8:17 am27 gaz

Don’t suppose you do student discounts for the shirts then gadget?

=]
on July 13, 2008 at 8:25 am28 PS Qui?

Putting the tracker fitted decoy push bike on the roof of a car and claiming the vehicle crime detection. So, the force is the victim too…
on July 13, 2008 at 11:53 am29 Kris

Brilliant post on a brilliant blog. This is one of my favourite blogs, and im not even a copper
on July 13, 2008 at 1:22 pm30 thethinblueline

How Can I be sure these shirts are not some clever long term devious plot by the the PSD to find out who we are.. ?

Oh wait , thats far to clever for PSD.

Metcountymounty….

didnt you know we stoped investigating fraud the same week we stopped going to burglaries.
on July 13, 2008 at 9:13 pm31 metcountymounty

Dunno about you but we still get sent to burglaries?? we still record the crime for the theft of the card, if it’s used then the fraud goes on as a crime related incident until the banks confirm they have been a victim. They hardly ever do unless they are looking at losses of over £5k, just not worth it to them otherwise, and a crime related incident of course doesn’t count on the crime figures, just NCRS compliance. It’s all bollocks anyway.
on July 14, 2008 at 11:25 am32 Steve Gillen

Why don’t my comments seem to get through?

Twice now I have tried to comment on a posting, yet on both occasions the comment just disappears (as I expect this one to do too!)

Trying again, just in case…..

Steve
on July 14, 2008 at 11:29 am33 Steve Gillen

It’s done it again - I have tried to post a comment with a simple link to a cartoon I think you would all appreciate and feel appropriate - yet it keeps disappearing??

Is it the link that is causing the problem?

Can anyone tell me?

Steve