Is There Something Not Quite Right Here?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2381292/Police-let-gypsy-family-stay-couples-30-000-stolen-caravan-moving-breach-human-rights.html

Here we have a couple who have had their caravan stolen, and a travelling family who are in possession of the said stolen caravan, yet the police have no lawful rights to recover the couples property, why?

[andy-hughes]

Because it is not within their powers - the information is in the story.

[Mamyalynne]

Sad state of affairs and oh my goodness, was not insured !!

[craft1948]

I don't get it either. If it was a stolen car the police could recover it.

[jd_1984]

And if the couple took the law into their own hands and stole it back? Where would the law stand??

[kylesmum]

Yet if they decided to go and turf them out they would get lifted and charged. The law often is an ass.

I'm afraid I would still go and turf them out and take the consequences, I know it's not the way everyone would react but I know that's what I would do.What a liberty !

[kylesmum]

I'm a slow typer jd, you weren't there when I started :)

[Octavius]

The family with two young children may - for all we know - be completely unaware this is a stolen caravan. You might be quite happy to de-home them, but this is not within the police powers - not without getting courts and other agencies involved and arranging alternate accom all at extra cost to tax payer.

I wonder if the opportunist thief knew that they were 'between' insurance policies.

[Old_Geezer]

The article may give information but I suspect the question meant, why do the police believe they have no lawful powers to retrieve stolen property, or worse, why do they not have such powers ?

The thieves have no need of it as they will be held in the gaol, and if granted bail can go find a family member of friend to take them in.

[ToraToraTora]

further proof it were needed that "human rights" are there to protect criminals.

[sandyRoe]

They say they bought the caravan for £300. That seems a real bargain.

[Old_Geezer]

In the, IMO unlikely event, that the present users of the stolen caravan didn't know it was stolen, then they can help the police with their enquiries. In any case what happened to the accomodation they were using before receiving stolen goods ?

[ludwig]

// The family with two young children may - for all we know - be completely unaware this is a stolen caravan. //

Yeah, a £20,000 caravan for £300. Nothing suspicious about that.

[Octavius]

Travellers often inter-sell their mobile homes for very little sums of money, sometimes its even gifted with no exhange of cash.

[jim360]

There does seem to be something not quite right here, yes. Wonder if NJ can shed light on what the legal issues are.

[Sharingan]

When my mother moved house the time before this she rented a building and put a lot of items into storage worth a considerable amount of money. When she went to retrieve the items they were all gone. The owner of the building said he 'thought she had collected them' but had several identifiable items inside his house and garden, so my mother called the police who first told her on the phone it was 'civil' and when she rpessed them finally took a stement and 'investigated' the allegation of theft. This was done by going to have a chat with the owner who told them he ' thought she had collected her belongings' and denying the things she identified as hers were hers claiming he had bought them all second hand. Apparenlty this was enough not to pursue the matter as the police said ' He said he didn't do it'. Really? A theif says he didn't steal soemthing so it must be the truth? She had all the same ' not within our powers' thing thrown at her and was told if she went to retrieve her goods they would consider it theft and possibly a breach of the peace if things got nasty. She is presently suing him. The police are useless.

[ludwig]

The police sound like a complete shower of sh1te when it comes to dealing with ..er...crime. Except for motoring offences of course. Sitting in a van at the side of the road with camera and a cheese sandwich is pretty easy, and there's a good clear up rate.

The only point reporting anything stolen to them is because it's a requirement of being able to claim the insurance.

[mushroom25]

//Except for motoring offences of course....//

this is what you get when you try and run emergency services on a "performance target" basis. of course they're going to take the easy option, they'd be mad to do any different as they will only use up their budget unnecessarily.

[joko]

i understand why they cant just be turfed out on the street (even though they deserve it) as they have kids - but the police should have immediately moved them into temp accommodation until they find somewhere else, not just shrug it off

the problem is now, the caravan will be gone.. they will have scarpered by now and they wont be able to get it back at all

the police, in this instance are a shambles

[marval]

This is a daft state of affairs. I am sure something could be done. I feel so sorry for the owners.