RE: Ford helps Plod
Tuesday 7th November 2006

Ford helps plod

Baited cars left at ExCel


A van
A van
Ford vehicle security experts recently partnered the Metropolitan Police's motor vehicle crime squad and produced immediate results on a four-week decoy operation in East London.

Two cars were supplied by Ford's technical centre, at Dunton, in Essex, and parked at the ExCel exhibition centre.  The Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo were left in prominent positions with equipment such as sat nav devices and mobile phones in view.

When thieves struck, they were caught out by the covert operation which traced criminals' movements and led police to them.  Over 25 arrests followed and vehicle crime slumped by 18 per cent in the ExCel area.

Peter Hyam, Ford vehicle security engineer, said:  "This was real-life testing of our vehicles' security systems, which helped to confirm how Ford cars resist break in attacks.  The Metropolitan Police benefited from new additions to their armoury in the fight against vehicle crime."

Sgt Andy Richardson, of the Metropolitan Police's motor vehicle crime squad in Stratford, said:  "We worked with Ford and a glass replacement company on this highly successful operation to crack down on illegal behaviour against ExCel visitors and local residents.  Plans are already underway for a similar collaboration elsewhere in East London."

Author
Discussion

phil1979

Original Poster:

3,656 posts

238 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
'bout time.

scotty_917

1,034 posts

245 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
The 25 arrested probably got community service...after all they weren't doing anything too harmful.eek...Now the motorist, that's another matter, they're 'Public Enemy Number One'...milk them for all they're worth...scum of the earth mad

PhantomPH

4,043 posts

248 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
Makes you wonder why they don't do this in loads of other areas (the police that is). For the cost of a deal with Autoglass and the purchase of a £150 sat nav, you can get 35 people arrested and cut car crime in that area by 18%?? Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Come to think of it - why have the cops not done that themselves before now??

oogieboogie

710 posts

232 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
I like this idea. After some moron wrote off my car in order to get £80 worth of CD player, I'm all for it. Maybe I should put my own sting operation in place... leave a few goodies in the old car, baseball bat by the front door... Much better than leaving it to the half measures of the courts. Plod must get really hacked off that so much work goes into catching these idiots and so often they end up with such pathetic sentences.

julianhj

8,858 posts

285 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
More of this kind of action please thumbup

Now if only we could find a spine for the court system scratchchin

fatboy b

9,662 posts

239 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
I wholeheartedly agree with this sort of thing, but isn't it really entrapment?

alfanatic

9,339 posts

242 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
I wholeheartedly agree with this sort of thing, but isn't it really entrapment?


I wouldn't think so as long as nothing about the vehicle directly says "please break in", and there are no undercover cops walking around the street encouraging people to break in to the vehicle.

I think it's a great idea and wish them the best of success in future similar ventures.

R666 TUS

1,052 posts

263 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
Yes but it entraps the right people. Ask yourself if you walked
past a car that had a window slightly open and a phone on the seat
would you steal it? I suspect for most people you wouldn't dream
of taking it so these op's target the ones who would anyway.
If that makes any sense ?

Col

thepeoplespal

1,690 posts

300 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
I wholeheartedly agree with this sort of thing, but isn't it really entrapment?


It is not a Colin Stagg type of entrapment; they aren't being told to engage in fantasy by a police officer. They see something that doesn't belong to them and they want to have it.

The more of this type of thing the better, especially if it makes a scrote think they might be subject to a sting operation any time, any place & anywhere

the fury

593 posts

265 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
julianhj said:
More of this kind of action please


I recently just worked on the promo campaign for something similar with Thames Valley Police

voltdropper

7 posts

232 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
Police forces have been doing this for years in the UK. Sensibly they have kept it quiet. Why would you want to tell the crooks how you operate against them? This is probably a Ford press release hence the silly quote about Ford security. How secure is your window glass Henry?

sarkmeister

1,690 posts

241 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
I think its only entrapment if the police invite someone to commit a crime, for example by leaving the door open. In this case they arent making the crime any easier.

DanH

12,287 posts

283 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
voltdropper said:
Police forces have been doing this for years in the UK. Sensibly they have kept it quiet. Why would you want to tell the crooks how you operate against them?


So that they don't do it. People tend to break laws less if they think there is a fair chance they'll be caught.

tony*t3

20,911 posts

270 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
Its not Entrapment. Entrapment would be when someone who isnt about to commit a crime is enticed to do it by the police - for instance, a Policewoman acting as a prostitute cant say 'fancy a shag love - £50' to someone on the street, but if someone comes up to her and says 'you doing business darling... how much?', then they are nicked.....

Having Satnav on display in a car isn't an enticement to steal or commit crime, so if some East London smackhead chav throws a brick through the side window and nicks the cars contents, thats not entrapment, whether the car was supplied by the police or not.

tony*t3

20,911 posts

270 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
DanH said:
voltdropper said:
Police forces have been doing this for years in the UK. Sensibly they have kept it quiet. Why would you want to tell the crooks how you operate against them?


So that they don't do it. People tend to break laws less if they think there is a fair chance they'll be caught.



Nah, thats a load of tosh. Approx 95% of UK citizens are basically honest and would not steal even if they knew they could get away with it. The other 5% will steal because they do not have the same sence of decentcy or honesty. They will still steal, but will move on elsewhere to do it, they will not be put off.

snorky

2,322 posts

274 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
the idea of entrapment to me is bollox....you are either prepared to be a crim or not...if you get caught - tough shite...

andy.shent

73 posts

250 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
The problem is.

1/ As already stated, when they get to court they are smacked on the wrist, well not literaly as this would be seen as assault and they would want to prosecute the slapper, and the way our courts work they would get compensation!!!!!

2/ Watching the television lately, there was a programme that did simular to what these have done, actually bugging and filming the criminals trying to smash a bullit proof window!! they succeded in breaking in and stealing a lap top. ... the result. let off by the courts, even tho they had records longer than both arms!!!

The way I see it all scroats and scumbags who are guilty of car crime and other such totally uncivil behaveure should go in the stocks in the town centre and have rubbish, crap, urine, dog turds, thrown at them, Perhaps when car crime is associated with coming home stinking of sewers, and being the laughing stock of his so called peers, this sort of crime may dissapear in to obscurity. O and if they do it again,,, shot them...

Edited by andy.shent on Tuesday 7th November 15:02


Edited by andy.shent on Tuesday 7th November 15:03

Alex

9,978 posts

307 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
How long before the trap cars have to be painted bright yellow?

Alex

9,978 posts

307 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
snorky said:
the idea of entrapment to me is bollox....you are either prepared to be a crim or not...if you get caught - tough shite...


Although I agree, we have to tread carefully here, as the same argument has been used to justify hidden speed cameras.

jim..c

833 posts

246 months

Tuesday 7th November 2006
quotequote all
Well done the plod. More please!