Villagers in a Buckinghamshire village have successful stopped a Google Street View car from photographing their village, after they feared the images would make them a target for burglars.
Residents of Broughton formed a human chain to prevent the street mapping car from taking a 360-degree view of the village. Local man Paul Jacobs spotted the car from an upstairs window, and ran into the street to confront the driver.
“I was upstairs when I spotted the camera car driving down the lane,” Mr Jacobs said. “My immediate reaction was anger; how dare anyone take a photograph of my home without my consent? I told the driver he was not only invading our privacy but also facilitating crime.”
The small village on the outskirts of Milton Keynes has been a target for burglars in recent weeks, with three reported break-ins over a six week period.
The police were called to the confrontation, but the villagers eventually won the stand-off. Google has said their car was using public roads, and was not breaking the law by photographing the village, and that the company provides an easy way for the public to request the removal of images from the service.
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