The Police and lost, lost property!
Discussion
I've got a bit of a problem...
A couple of months ago I found a bike that had been hidden in my back garden. Doing the proper thing I called the police to report it and also called the number of a tracking company who had placed a security sticker on it, reporting it to them.
The police said they couldn't come round for a few days and told me to leave it there! I pointed out that might not be the best idea as whoever left it would probably come back to get it later, so I brought it inside.
The next day a PCSO came to collect it. In the meantime I had Googled it and found that this model sells for well over £1,000. I asked the PCSO if no one came to collect it, which I thought would be unlikely could I keep it. He said yes, if no one had claimed it after 90 days I could have it. I signed his notebook and he said he would give me a reference number the next day, but never did.
Fast forward about 6 weeks and I called the property store to see if anyone had collected it and they said no, it was still at the station and they would get the PCSO to give me a call and that I could likely go and collect it.
This morning I get a call from the PCSO to say that there is a bit of a problem and that despite having my details on file and a note saying I wanted to claim it, they have auctioned it somehow!
Now at the least they will have some proceeds from the auction to hand over, but it's unlikely that kind of auction would achieve the true value of a bike like that, which looked very well, so it looks like I may be making some kind of claim against the police.
My brother in law is the son of an Inspector and he said a few weeks back that I wouldn't see it again as the police will get first dibs on it, he may have been right!
A couple of months ago I found a bike that had been hidden in my back garden. Doing the proper thing I called the police to report it and also called the number of a tracking company who had placed a security sticker on it, reporting it to them.
The police said they couldn't come round for a few days and told me to leave it there! I pointed out that might not be the best idea as whoever left it would probably come back to get it later, so I brought it inside.
The next day a PCSO came to collect it. In the meantime I had Googled it and found that this model sells for well over £1,000. I asked the PCSO if no one came to collect it, which I thought would be unlikely could I keep it. He said yes, if no one had claimed it after 90 days I could have it. I signed his notebook and he said he would give me a reference number the next day, but never did.
Fast forward about 6 weeks and I called the property store to see if anyone had collected it and they said no, it was still at the station and they would get the PCSO to give me a call and that I could likely go and collect it.
This morning I get a call from the PCSO to say that there is a bit of a problem and that despite having my details on file and a note saying I wanted to claim it, they have auctioned it somehow!
Now at the least they will have some proceeds from the auction to hand over, but it's unlikely that kind of auction would achieve the true value of a bike like that, which looked very well, so it looks like I may be making some kind of claim against the police.
My brother in law is the son of an Inspector and he said a few weeks back that I wouldn't see it again as the police will get first dibs on it, he may have been right!
Muncher said:
I've got a bit of a problem...
A couple of months ago I found a bike that had been hidden in my back garden. Doing the proper thing I called the police to report it and also called the number of a tracking company who had placed a security sticker on it, reporting it to them.
The police said they couldn't come round for a few days and told me to leave it there! I pointed out that might not be the best idea as whoever left it would probably come back to get it later, so I brought it inside.
The next day a PCSO came to collect it. In the meantime I had Googled it and found that this model sells for well over £1,000. I asked the PCSO if no one came to collect it, which I thought would be unlikely could I keep it. He said yes, if no one had claimed it after 90 days I could have it. I signed his notebook and he said he would give me a reference number the next day, but never did.
Fast forward about 6 weeks and I called the property store to see if anyone had collected it and they said no, it was still at the station and they would get the PCSO to give me a call and that I could likely go and collect it.
This morning I get a call from the PCSO to say that there is a bit of a problem and that despite having my details on file and a note saying I wanted to claim it, they have auctioned it somehow!
Now at the least they will have some proceeds from the auction to hand over, but it's unlikely that kind of auction would achieve the true value of a bike like that, which looked very well, so it looks like I may be making some kind of claim against the police.
My brother in law is the son of an Inspector and he said a few weeks back that I wouldn't see it again as the police will get first dibs on it, he may have been right!
It doesn't really send the right message, does it.A couple of months ago I found a bike that had been hidden in my back garden. Doing the proper thing I called the police to report it and also called the number of a tracking company who had placed a security sticker on it, reporting it to them.
The police said they couldn't come round for a few days and told me to leave it there! I pointed out that might not be the best idea as whoever left it would probably come back to get it later, so I brought it inside.
The next day a PCSO came to collect it. In the meantime I had Googled it and found that this model sells for well over £1,000. I asked the PCSO if no one came to collect it, which I thought would be unlikely could I keep it. He said yes, if no one had claimed it after 90 days I could have it. I signed his notebook and he said he would give me a reference number the next day, but never did.
Fast forward about 6 weeks and I called the property store to see if anyone had collected it and they said no, it was still at the station and they would get the PCSO to give me a call and that I could likely go and collect it.
This morning I get a call from the PCSO to say that there is a bit of a problem and that despite having my details on file and a note saying I wanted to claim it, they have auctioned it somehow!
Now at the least they will have some proceeds from the auction to hand over, but it's unlikely that kind of auction would achieve the true value of a bike like that, which looked very well, so it looks like I may be making some kind of claim against the police.
My brother in law is the son of an Inspector and he said a few weeks back that I wouldn't see it again as the police will get first dibs on it, he may have been right!
Slightly off topic, but I don't think it's just the Police. I know it's my own stupid fault but I've left a couple of items on trains and planes - in spite of following up extensively, never a sniff of a chance of getting any back.
I know you can't do FOI on private cos, but I'd love to know how many items (if any) are ever successfully returned.
I know you can't do FOI on private cos, but I'd love to know how many items (if any) are ever successfully returned.
V8forweekends said:
Slightly off topic, but I don't think it's just the Police. I know it's my own stupid fault but I've left a couple of items on trains and planes - in spite of following up extensively, never a sniff of a chance of getting any back.
Not too dissimilar to the RM scam whereby they confiscate items that they do not deem 'safe' to post, auction them and then they magically become safe to post.(all according to a post I read on here)
Muncher said:
This morning I get a call from the PCSO to say that there is a bit of a problem and that despite having my details on file and a note saying I wanted to claim it, they have auctioned it somehow!
Now at the least they will have some proceeds from the auction to hand over, but it's unlikely that kind of auction would achieve the true value of a bike like that, which looked very well, so it looks like I may be making some kind of claim against the police.
My brother in law is the son of an Inspector and he said a few weeks back that I wouldn't see it again as the police will get first dibs on it, he may have been right!
Ask when & where the auction took place and whether the auction winner was connected to the local station.Now at the least they will have some proceeds from the auction to hand over, but it's unlikely that kind of auction would achieve the true value of a bike like that, which looked very well, so it looks like I may be making some kind of claim against the police.
My brother in law is the son of an Inspector and he said a few weeks back that I wouldn't see it again as the police will get first dibs on it, he may have been right!
selym said:
Snowboy said:
Muncher said:
Snowboy said:
If it was me I'd just shrug it off.
It was never yours to begin with, you've not actually lost anything.
That's not quite how the law works.It was never yours to begin with, you've not actually lost anything.
The alternative being that they are claimed by the brother in law of one of the officers at the receiving station. This will have some current forum members up in arms, but it is based on unfortunate experience.
I believe that you can notify but retain possession, which would prevent all manner of unfortunate outcomes. I presume that this is still possible?
julian64 said:
I don't think the op should have the bike. Sorry op.
Seems a bit obvious to me that the pheasant rules should apply.
Other than that who's to say this isn't the new way for criminals to legalise their gains?
I believe that is why you have to wait 6 weeks. So the police can satisfy themselves that the bike isn't reported stolen.Seems a bit obvious to me that the pheasant rules should apply.
Other than that who's to say this isn't the new way for criminals to legalise their gains?
Muncher said:
Snowboy said:
If it was me I'd just shrug it off.
It was never yours to begin with, you've not actually lost anything.
That's not quite how the law works.It was never yours to begin with, you've not actually lost anything.
If the OP feels there has been dishonesty on behalf of the police then a complaint would appear one way of dealing. However, from what has beens aid, the value is what has driven the post and I would suggest that finding stolen property does not automatically mean the property reverts to the finder.
Derek Smith said:
From what has been said, it would appear that the bicycle was stolen property, not lost. In two forces I was in stolen property is not returned but is, instead, auctioned. Obviously I do not know the procedures in the area in question.
If the OP feels there has been dishonesty on behalf of the police then a complaint would appear one way of dealing. However, from what has beens aid, the value is what has driven the post and I would suggest that finding stolen property does not automatically mean the property reverts to the finder.
No even as, if in the ops case, it has been left on his property?If the OP feels there has been dishonesty on behalf of the police then a complaint would appear one way of dealing. However, from what has beens aid, the value is what has driven the post and I would suggest that finding stolen property does not automatically mean the property reverts to the finder.
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