Police 'steal' from unlocked cars

Originally posted by St Vaast
reply to post by lucentenigma

 

I've said it once. What don't you understand ?

I'd be grateful if the police rescued my valuables from a car I'd left unlocked

simple. Non conspiratorial

Others feel differently, their prerogative

'Rescued' your valuables? Your joking right? So these cops are psychic and knew your belongings were going to be stolen?

It wouldn't be very bright to leave something of value out in the open no matter if your car is locked or unlocked, but just because someone leaves a iPhone on the front seat does not mean there is a 100% chance it will be stolen.

It seems that instead of taking personal responsibility you want the government to do it for you.

As epitaph stated were is the line drawn?

I'll put money on cops doing this to 'test the waters' to see what the public reaction is.

If they get away with this, what is next?

Cops will be walking down the street wiggling doorknobs to make sure homes are locked up. Then they will snoop around unlocked homes under the guise of being hero's and protecting absent minded citizens valuables for them.

Well, let's see...they can listen to our phone calls, read our mail (whichever format), watch us on CCTV every-bloody-where we go... Why shouldn't they be able to have further access? They can do what they want and we have no recourse.

Except that we do. Take all their rights away. The time has come to demote our politicians right down to street sweepers. I like a nice, clean sidewalk, don't you? They get nothing more powerful than a broom. Cops will be city gardeners - hand 'em a rake. Judges and lawyers can work at 7/11 so they have some real life experience finally. Military rank and file: grocery store cashiers. Old-fashioned machines - no easy laser stuff.

Oh look! Our world just got nicer.

I wouldn't mind if I space off and forget to lock my vehicle and a cop notices my laptop sitting in the passenger seat, checks my doors, finds them unlocked, takes it and leaves a note.

Anything illegal they find couldn't be used against me. So whats the harm? It saves me the time to file a statement with the cops and saves them the time from having to deal with my temorary stupidity.

Better them then a possible theif and from what I read in the article these types of crimes are steeply rising.

Seems there must be too many police in that area when they have to start making things up to justify their jobs.

You think that's bad in Tacoma Washington when people start their cars in the winter time to warm them up and then go back in the house (car locked or not) they ticket the drivers because their cars could have been stolen. Hows that for cops protecting you?

reply to post by St Vaast


Hey vast.
Why would the police enter a PRIVET vehicle to secure anything with out a search warrant? Of course your laws might be different from ours but still they should mind there own business until a law is broke.

Is it illegal to leave your car unsecured in the UK?

1 person


Thats how many people have had heir belongings taken in this scheme in one small part of London. Preventing crime is the job of the police. If you just happen to be retarded enough to go leaving your belongings in plain sight in an unlocked car in an area where there is a very real chance they won't be there when you return, and the police happen to see it before some crack head, they are preventing a crime, they are doing their job and what is more, they are doing you a favour. Now if you have the brains to actually lock your car and hide your valuables, it really is not an issue now is it.

All I see here is people defending other peoples right to be ignorant, and stupid.

[edit on 26-8-2009 by quackers]

[edit on 26-8-2009 by quackers]

reply to post by quackers


What about our right to self-determination? Are we now denied the right to forget something now and again? If you're just a normal human being, you have to be 100% at all times or you're put to further inconvenience, yes? It's not enough that you have to protect against criminals but now you need to guard against the police too. Oh yeah. Things are looking right up now.

reply to post by quackers


If it was just an isolated case where a police officer took matters into his own hands I don't think this would be a problem - however it states that they are "targeting unlocked cars", which is a different kettle of fish altogether. Also, these localised schemes are done to test the water before national roll-out... god help the country if you don't see why it's a bad thing that police no longer need a warrant to search your personal belongings (without probable cause).



*EDIT - Spelling*

[edit on 26-8-2009 by Goathief]

I wonder what the comeback would be if you saw someone leaning into your car attempting to take something from it, and you smacked them round the head?

Sorry but i think this is a crap idea. If you are stupid enough to leave valuables in an unlocked car in this day and age, you can't really be suprised if they get lifted.

That said, you don't expect it to be the police to do the lifting.

CX.

Originally posted by Goathief
reply to post by quackers

 

If it was just an isolated case where a police officer took matters into his own hands I don't think this would be a problem - however it states that they are "targeting unlocked cars", which is a different kettle of fish altogether. Also, these localised schemes are done to test the water before national roll-out... god help the country if you don't see why it's a bad thing that police no longer need a warrant to search your personal belongings (without probable cause).

*EDIT - Spelling*

[edit on 26-8-2009 by Goathief]

The police are not searching anything, nor are they targeting anything. If the plod walks past a car that is unlocked, and there is a satnav sitting on the dash in full view, they will attempt to find the cars owner. If the owner cannot be found the police will remove the satnav, leave a notice stating where it can be collected and why it was taken, then they will lock the car and waste 40 minutes on the paperwork.

There is no search there. The police still need reasonable cause to search, so should the police find something untoward, in an unlocked car, in a public place, without the owner present, there is absolutely nothing they can do apart from take that too. They would be hard pressed to use it as evidence, and any lawyer would have fun with that.

The solution is simple, stick your satnav in the glove box and lock your damn car, then you wont have to whine about the plod doing their job for a change.

People literally are making a mountain out of a molehill. The legality of this is already in question, though apparently common law does allow the police those powers, and has done for a very long time.

Why cant the police simply lock the door and move on?
It would be a courtesy that would be more acceptable.
If someone wants to smash the window to steal, then poor owner, but most thieves would just try the door and leave.

I'm old enough to accept responsibility for my own actions.
I wont cry foul if I leave myself open to theft.

Freedom over security, I don't want to half a parent/child relationship with my State or government.

My daughter told me the other day, 'Hey, I found FIVE DOLLARS!!' She was very excited. The problem was that it was MY five dollars...and it wasn't 'lost,'

If a cop can enter an unlocked car, then citizens should be able to enter unlocked cars.

If I broke in to your network and then claimed I was only doing it to help you discover the security holes, I would still be guilty of unauthorized access.

If they want to enter a persons car, they should need to make sure the people know AHEAD of time that their car is going to be entered.

I think it's wrong. It's breaking the law and then trying to say they were only 'looking out' for the very people they were victimizing.

Wrong on so many levels.

I can't even believe people are defending this.

The motive here is info.

You leave your ipod/phone/laptop/wallet on the seat of your car, cop spots it and steals it and leaves you a note.

Back at the station, your SIM card/hard drive is copied.

You get your stuff back, and the law is able to go through your files/photos/contacts/call history to see if you have anything incriminating, see who you associate with, etc. later.

If they tried this here in the USA, I'm sure people would start going through unoccupied police cars. The Brits should.

I'm suprised by the number of people who think this is ok! These people ARE the problem with the world today.

Granted, the US is a burgeoning police state - but the UK, Hell - you guys have been there for years and are finding new and creative ways to sink deeper into the mire. Enough is enough.