Phantom thefts ?
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Discussion

bor

Original Poster:

5,146 posts

285 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
A purely and 100% hypothetical question to all you crime fighters and legal cats:

I tell all my mates that someone has stolen my laptop from my house. The local press get news of the story, which then means plod get news of the story so reluctantly, I file a crime report.

After "an anonymous tip-off", I recover the laptop from a skip further down the road.

In reality, there was no theft, I just a made up story to get attention.

Q1.Have I committed a crime ?
Q2.Would police prosecute for wasting police time ?

Regards,
Dr.Watson

gone

6,649 posts

293 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
bor said:

Q1.Have I committed a crime ?


Yes.

bor said:

Q2.Would police prosecute for wasting police time ?

Regards,
Dr.Watson


Probably not as the time wasted would not meet guidelines for prosecution.

bor

Original Poster:

5,146 posts

285 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
Thanks,

the plot thinnens........

GKP

15,099 posts

271 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
Hmmm, what about if they had "stolen" two sports cars? And you were a manufacturer?

Hypothetically, of course.

stone

1,538 posts

277 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
GKP said:
Hmmm, what about if they had "stolen" two sports cars? And you were a manufacturer?

Hypothetically, of course.