Porch Pirates

[niemeyjt]

As we all know, the Met Police are totally useless (unless it comes to speed cameras, taking the knee or arresting Jews).

Twice now porch pirates have been caught on my daughter's Ring door bell and the footage sent to the Met..

The perp in the first was seen on the prowl a few days after the first video was provided to the Police - suggesting nothing happened.

So - is there any place or Youtube channel that is collating these sorts of videos just as a "name and shame"?

 

[Bingy man]

Can’t answer your question but low level crime is not their primary concern- how do I know - the countless beggars at traffic lights asking for spare change - at least when I worked in London I could get my windscreen washed for a few bits of change but these new generation beggars dont do anything but beg all day long ..

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I suspect it mostly falls below the police priority radar.

Likely to be low value, Costs and time involved in prosecution large if defended - police time, attendance in court, preparing documentation and case files. Probably insured loss anyway!

Policing priorities - terrorism, public disorder, violent crime, drugs etc. Why would they bother with a crime involving someone whose prosecution simply diverts limited resources, and may result in a fine (unpaid?) or probation. Prison not an option as no spaces.

Whilst I would not suggest a return to the 1970's is a good idea, the proposition that feeling the collar and a good kicking may be an effective alternative solution.

 

[flying haggis]

If the parcel was just left by the courier in full view hence liable to be stolen then I my view the courier is liable for the loss either personally or via the company they are employed by. I think it's down to the laziness of the driver's who can't even be bothered to knock or ring and wait, they just dump and run. I have had deliveries just put inside the porch despite there being two cars in the drive suggesting someone must be in.

 

[duke]

It's the wild , wild west out there unfortunately the victims seldom get justice.
Back in the Spring there were a series if brazen robberies in our rural farming community, big ticket items such as atv's, trailers farm equipment etc. While away they tried entering our property, my wife was home and let the dogs out which scared them off. Talked with the locals, everyone was fed up and the general concensus was shoot and see what happens. Before I left for another road trip my wife was well capable of using a 410 shotgun.

 

[skeetstar]

It's the wild , wild west out there unfortunately the victims seldom get justice.
Back in the Spring there were a series if brazen robberies in our rural farming community, big ticket items such as atv's, trailers farm equipment etc. While away they tried entering our property, my wife was home and let the dogs out which scared them off. Talked with the locals, everyone was fed up and the general concensus was shoot and see what happens. Before I left for another road trip my wife was well capable of using a 410 shotgun.

And then the police will take an interest.. and you and your wife will be prosecuted.

Freind of mine plagued by robberies at a farm discharged his shotgun into the ground to scare them off..nil action re the thieves, but a warning for my friend.
The police do what is easy rather than what is right in these circumstances.

 

[niemeyjt]

Sadly, as you have all said, and as I said at outset, one thing that won't happen is the Police doing much.

Hence looking for a "name and shame" alternative.

The camera only points to her own private land, not the street, and both videos clearly show someone coming onto property, taking a package and leaving the property.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My neighbour, a builder, told me his friend, another builder, went to the police after he'd had £1000s of tools stolen from his van. He had a cctv image of the scrote walking up to the security camera, smiling and sticking up a middle finger, and as the bloke was known to him his name and address. The police couldn't do anything except give him a crime number as "the image wasn't clear enough".

 

[Chubber]

I suspect it mostly falls below the police priority radar.

Likely to be low value, Costs and time involved in prosecution ....

The French have a saying "Who would steal an egg, would steal a cow..."

No one pulls off a Brinks Matt job for their first crime.

Sadly Terry is right.

 

[niemeyjt]

As I recall, Michael Bloomburg cut crime in New York by not ignoring the little stuff for those very reasons.

 

[Kittyhawk]

Regrettably police don't respond to minor/property crimes here either.
And to make matters worse, law abiding citizens have no means of self defence when out and about - any sort of pointy implement found on your person will get you in big trouble.
So I've resorted to carrying the good on seaman's stinger depending on where I am or going - it is aptly named for very good reason.

Made mine from 5mm nylon braid. Its 20cm long and the Turk's Head contains a round lead sinker. I think the weave going down to the key ring is called a snake knot but you can do whatever you like of course. The ring is big enough to put the little finger into and the length is sufficient to allow a handy amount protruding from the top of the fist - make it longer if you've got big hands. Hopefully never needed but you can see the benefits if you do, and there's no law prohibiting you from carrying a fancy keychain.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My mother advised by a senior copper years ago to keep a few masonry nails and a claw hammer on her bedside table. She was going to hang a picture so had a reason to have a hammer in the bedroom should the time come she cracked someone over the head with it.

 

[niemeyjt]

Yes - and anyone with a legal held gun in a gun cabinet should fit the cabinet to an upstairs wall, like in the master bedroom wardrobe, to ensure if there is ever a break-in the guns are harder for the perp to access . . .

Shooting a porch pirate is the stuff of US Youtube channels though

 

[SeeO2]

As we all know, the Met Police are totally useless (unless it comes to speed cameras, taking the knee or arresting Jews).

Twice now porch pirates have been caught on my daughter's Ring door bell and the footage sent to the Met..

The perp in the first was seen on the prowl a few days after the first video was provided to the Police - suggesting nothing happened.

So - is there any place or Youtube channel that is collating these sorts of videos just as a "name and shame"?

Maybe leave a wrapped up Hezbollah pager on the doorstep for them ?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I worked with someone who could never resist stealing other people's food. One day he ate a whole bar of laxative chocolate that had been left in the staff room without its outer wrapper. He walked with his knees together for a week.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

Regrettably police don't respond to minor/property crimes here either.
And to make matters worse, law abiding citizens have no means of self defence when out and about - any sort of pointy implement found on your person will get you in big trouble.
So I've resorted to carrying the good on seaman's stinger depending on where I am or going - it is aptly named for very good reason.
View attachment 188549
Made mine from 5mm nylon braid. Its 20cm long and the Turk's Head contains a round lead sinker. I think the weave going down to the key ring is called a snake knot but you can do whatever you like of course. The ring is big enough to put the little finger into and the length is sufficient to allow a handy amount protruding from the top of the fist - make it longer if you've got big hands. Hopefully never needed but you can see the benefits if you do, and there's no law prohibiting you from carrying a fancy keychain.

Oh yes there is. I note you are in NZ, so can't comment for there but in the UK If your intended use could be proved (I accept quite difficult, unless of course you were foolish enough to post a picture of it online and describe not only it's intended use but indeed instructions for said use) then what you have isn't a keychain but a made offensive weapon.

 

[Kittyhawk]

Oh yes there is. I note you are in NZ, so can't comment for there but in the UK If your intended use could be proved (I accept quite difficult, unless of course you were foolish enough to post a picture of it online and describe not only it's intended use but indeed instructions for said use) then what you have isn't a keychain but a made offensive weapon.

Doesn't fly.
Paramilitary style boots are issued to serving ambos by the ambulance service for officers' safety on the job - together with courses on self defence using said boots should the occasion arise. Should boots be declared an offensive weapon?
I need the aid of a walking stick due to an old injury. You will find numerous videos online on using a walking stick as a defensive weapon. Perhaps we should ban them, too! You could even use a sharpened pencil in your defence, and I would if I had one on me and the need arose. Dang, I've just published my evil intent - again! My neighbour is a policeman and he knows about the fancy keychain. He says since it does not fall under the category of sharp, pointed or concealed offensive weapons it can be carried with impunity and should you use it in your own defence they have no more interest in it than a man whacking an assailant with a fist or a lady clouting a mugger with her handbag.

 

[Stigmorgan]

I used to have a bat by the door for just in case until my godson who is a MET officer pointed out that having it there for protection shows intent and pre meditation should I ever use it, he also suggested that if I do intend to keep it there I should put a knee length sock over it so if an attacker was to grab it they would only pull the sock off.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

In the mid '70s I had a caravan on my mother's land, about 50yds off the road up a private drive. It was getting broken into regularly until I cured it. I was speaking to a local copper and he asked if I'd had it broken into lately. No, I said, I managed to stop it. How? He asked. I put the feet in rubber tyres and wired the chassis to the mains. It certainly kept people away as I found out on a couple of occasions after a beer or three too many and forgot to switch it off before putting the key in the door. OooH ..... aren't those stars pretty tonight ............
What if Kitchener George (the local tramp) touches it and has a heart attack? he said. Kitchy shouldn't shouldn't be there. I said. By the bye, if he died you'd be gaoled. Don't do it. I disconnected it and got broken into again.

 

[mg123]

If the parcel was just left by the courier in full view hence liable to be stolen then I my view the courier is liable for the loss either personally or via the company they are employed by. I think it's down to the laziness of the driver's who can't even be bothered to knock or ring and wait, they just dump and run. I have had deliveries just put inside the porch despite there being two cars in the drive suggesting someone must be in.

I'm of a different opinion, having dabbled in a little courier work recently it's not as clear as you believe.
Trying to carry out a paid by parcel job with any degree of meeting (let alone exceeding) minimum wage, is nigh on impossible without some exceedingly efficient delivery methods.
Countless are the times I've had someone sitting in their living room watching me knock at the door without so much as moving an inch. You end up knocking and placing parcel and moving with haste onto the next delivery. It's unfortunately the only way to make it even close to being financially viable.
It's not like the days of royal mail who are paid hourly where you can have a little chat with each customer and be the friendly delivery guy. Don't get me wrong, I was always pleasant and tried to be professional, but the pay is so ludicrously poor, and then you have to take into account the costs involved. And then you get the deliver to safe place request "leave parcel in greenhouse" amd you find the greenhouse is 200 metres into their back garden. And they've ordered 5 bags of 20kg compost.
It's really no money spinner apart from for the owners of the business. And if something does go wrong, they penalise the driver making that already poor pay even worse. I now look on the couriers with far more respect.
We can all judge from the sideline, the whole "walk a mile in my shoes" really does offer a degree of appreciation here.