Genuine crime number?
Discussion
Is there a particular format for a crime number or do forces devise their own system?
I ask because I have just seen a “warning” on a social media post. It’s the business page of a professional contact.
I’m surprised they posted it as it has all the hallmarks of a fake post. Nothing concrete, someone heard something from someone. No checkable details apart from this crime number.
I ask because I have just seen a “warning” on a social media post. It’s the business page of a professional contact.
I’m surprised they posted it as it has all the hallmarks of a fake post. Nothing concrete, someone heard something from someone. No checkable details apart from this crime number.
Wildcat45 said:
Is there a particular format for a crime number or do forces devise their own system?
I ask because I have just seen a “warning” on a social media post. It’s the business page of a professional contact.
I’m surprised they posted it as it has all the hallmarks of a fake post. Nothing concrete, someone heard something from someone. No checkable details apart from this crime number.
Many forces use the same format as each other. Not the format that one is in. That could be genuine. Which force is it?I ask because I have just seen a “warning” on a social media post. It’s the business page of a professional contact.
I’m surprised they posted it as it has all the hallmarks of a fake post. Nothing concrete, someone heard something from someone. No checkable details apart from this crime number.
Pothole said:
Many forces use the same format as each other. Not the format that one is in. That could be genuine. Which force is it?
That’s part of my concern. The post is very vague. The allegation is that a man has been trying to make obscene face time calls “in the area”
The “area” could be Northumbria Durham Cleveland N.York’s or possibly Cumbria.
Wildcat45 said:
Pothole said:
Many forces use the same format as each other. Not the format that one is in. That could be genuine. Which force is it?
That’s part of my concern. The post is very vague. The allegation is that a msn has been trying to make obscene face time calls “in the area”
The “area” could be Northumbria Durham Cleveland N.York’s or possibly Cumbria.
Wildcat45 said:
Pothole said:
Does the post have the word "the" before police?
It does. A West Midlands Police appeal currently on their website ends thus:
"If you know who he is please contact us via Live Chat on our website or call 101 quoting crime reference number 20WS/242667X/20."
A current Staffs Police appeal ends thus:
"Anyone with any information should message Staffordshire Police on Facebook or Twitter quoting incident number660 of 8 November, call 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111." although this is clearly an incident number not a crime number.
Neither of them just says "the police". (there's over 40 distinct forces in England and Wales)
Wildcat45 said:
That’s part of my concern. The post is very vague.
The allegation is that a man has been trying to make obscene face time calls “in the area”
The “area” could be Northumbria Durham Cleveland N.York’s or possibly Cumbria.
42 is the code for Essex Police. The allegation is that a man has been trying to make obscene face time calls “in the area”
The “area” could be Northumbria Durham Cleveland N.York’s or possibly Cumbria.
They format their reference numbers as 42/MZ/12345/20 from what I can see online.
Appears fake.
Different forces in the country use different computer systems for their crime recording, there isn't one joined up system like PNC for example which is not for crime recording but pulls its records from all the various systems of different forces.
As such the format of crime numbers is not standard across the country either so the formats will vary between forces akthough there are maybe 3-4 different systems in common use.
As such the format of crime numbers is not standard across the country either so the formats will vary between forces akthough there are maybe 3-4 different systems in common use.
spikeyhead said:
Tom1312 said:
Crime ref and case ref are different things.
Essex use 42/**/********/20 for case.
42/********/20 for crime.
Who'd have thought that the answer to life, the universe and everything was to be found in Essex. Perhaps it is the only way?Essex use 42/**/********/20 for case.
42/********/20 for crime.
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