One of the many unfortunate consequences of the tidal wave of crime that is sweeping through our nation is the number of victims that it creates.
With appallingly low conviction rates for a whole variety of crimes, from rape to burglary to phone thefts, fraud and more, the uncomfortable truth is that millions of victims of crime never receive justice in any way, shape or form. And that, Dear Reader, is a national scandal.
I spend a lot of time in the company of victims. Sometimes I advise them on how to deal with the police, on other occasions I find myself dispensing crime prevention advice, in the hope that they will not fall prey to unscrupulous criminals for a second or maybe a third time.
From time to time, I will drum up some publicity for a victim’s case, in the hope that it might encourage or embarrass the police into actually doing their job.
Peter Bleksley has said he blames the police for the rise in shoplifting
GB NewsIn recent weeks I was contacted by a source who was concerned by a rumour that was going around about a Metropolitan Police team tasked with trying the reduce the completely unacceptable level of car thefts that were happening in the borough of Bexley, south London, which just happens to be where I live.
My manor is a typical outer-London suburb. Some good schools, ridiculously expensive property prices, plenty of green spaces, and decent transport links into the heart of our capital city.
However, owning a nice car down my way is a very risky business. Neighbours and friends have made their way downstairs for breakfast, only to discover that their much-loved cars have disappeared from their driveways, never to be seen again.
When I went to a local neighbourhood police meeting a few months ago, officers claimed they were doing all they could, but went on to explain that our close proximity to motorways and the Kent coast, made our area ripe for car thieves who can escape with their bounty in double-quick time.
Astonishingly, we were told that the Met Police radios were not compatible with their neighbouring colleagues in nearby Kent, and this was sometimes a cause of frustration.
Metropolitan Police say 90 per cent of all car theft cases remain unsolved
GETTYI arranged for my source and me to meet a local journalist. Yes, an actual journalist who has an editor that encourages him to get out of the office, dig up stories, wear out some shoe leather, and try to make a difference.
Sadly, when it comes to local news, these journos are a disappearing breed. I bought the coffees, and we both told the bright, young, enthusiastic scribe what we knew.
After an hour or so he scuttled off to try and find some victims of car theft. He didn’t have to travel far, and was soon gathering testimonies from disgruntled former car owners who lived in a street that had been hit hard by the thieves. An article quickly followed, which featured both quotes and a photograph of yours truly.
To give credit where it’s due, local officers from The Met sprung into action, and they soon went onto X, (Formerly Twitter), gleefully announcing that they had arrested 14 people within a week, and recovered ‘several’ stolen cars.
Locals contacted me to say thank you for raising the issue in the press, and I passed those thanks on to my source when I bought him another coffee. In one crime-plagued street of Bexley, The Met had also recovered their reputation.
LATEST MEMBERSHIP OPINION:
Met Police chief Sir Mark RowleyPAIt is a sorry sign of the times that our police have to be prompted into action by articles in the media. It is also unfortunate that car thieves have probably just moved onto another unsuspecting neighbourhood.
Just in case that is your street, please, have an immobiliser and a tracker fitted to your car. Spend some money on a decent steering lock. Fit some CCTV to your home, ensuring that it covers your car.
Keep your car keys in a Faraday pouch. Have a retractable post fitted in your driveway. Don’t leave anything valuable in your vehicle, ever. Report any suspicious behaviour to your local police promptly. And finally, please don’t have nightmares.
Unfortunately, there are not enough hours in the day for me to help every victim who seeks my help.
