Another wing mirror causes offence.

[Brandane]

WTF is it with people who can't walk home after a night out without kicking wing mirrors off cars?
This is my third in 2 years outside my house, despite the fact that I move it to a nearby car park on weekend nights, which are normally worse for anti-social nobbers.
Other cars were also targeted last night, it's like a local pastime.
No point reporting it to the ineffective Police (due to cutbacks, not individuals).
Hacks me off big-time, and is one more reason why I won't ever buy a "good" car again. I will stick with 10 year old low value cars.

 

[Globalti]

Report it to your local beat officer. They need to build up a picture of what's going on in your street and believe it or not, they can deal with petty crime and local idiots.

 

[Brandane]

Report it to your local beat officer. They need to build up a picture of what's going on in your street and believe it or not, they can deal with petty crime and local idiots.

I used to be one of the aforesaid local beat officers (in another area). They no longer exist here.

 

[Globalti]

Ours has dealt successfullly with the local idiot crew of teenagers who have been hanging around in our street causing a nuisance. They have all been given acceptable bahaviour contracts and we haven't seen them in two months.

 

[Accy cyclist]

WTF is it with people who can't walk home after a night out without kicking wing mirrors off cars?
This is my third in 2 years outside my house, despite the fact that I move it to a nearby car park on weekend nights, which are normally worse for anti-social nobbers.
Other cars were also targeted last night, it's like a local pastime.
No point reporting it to the ineffective Police (due to cutbacks, not individuals).
Hacks me off big-time, and is one more reason why I won't ever buy a "good" car again. I will stick with 10 year old low value cars.

Do you leave the mirror out when the car is parked? I know this annoys some, especially when the car is parked on the pavement and the left out mirror just narrows the gap even more.

 

[Brandane]

acceptable bahaviour contracts

I've never heard of them; but then I'm in Scotland where the laws and procedures are different from south of the border.
An "acceptable behaviour contract" sounds to me like something that goes without saying anyway. If behaviour is NOT acceptable, then the law should be coming down on it with use of existing legislation (but we all know that isn't happening).

 

[wheresthetorch]

If you and your neighbours report it every time it happens, it appears on local crime stats. These are presented and scrutinised at the local Community Safety Partnership meeting, which the relevant Area Commander (usually a Chief Inspector) attends. Report it enough times, and they will eventually take action.

 

[Brandane]

Do you leave the mirror out when the car is parked? I know this annoys some, especially when the car is parked on the pavement and the left out mirror just narrows the gap even more.

It's a wide pavement, and yes I do leave the mirror out. I used to fold them in, but on one previous occasion that didn't stop them from breaking it off. That was on the driver's side, away from the pavement. That time I was able to salvage the mirror and it is now held in place with some plastic repair stuff, and a zip tie, which means that mirror will no longer fold in.

 

[Globalti]

The idea is that the Police are seen to have taken the first step in heading off antisocial behaviour. It's all done with the parents involved. If the behaviour continues the Police will be able to take stronger measures. It certainly seems to have worked with the four main trouble makers and two moped riders who were making residents' lives hell at night.

 

[Brandane]

If you and your neighbours report it every time it happens, it appears on local crime stats. These are presented and scrutinised at the local Community Safety Partnership meeting, which the relevant Area Commander (usually a Chief Inspector) attends. Report it enough times, and they will eventually take action.

That would be the only purpose reporting it would serve. TBH though, it might merit the odd drive by at night by the area car. There are much worse things going on, and they don't even have resources to tackle that.

 

[steveindenmark]

I used to be one of the aforesaid local beat officers (in another area). They no longer exist here.

In that case I am a bit surprised at your attitude.

How can the police be effective if you do not let them know what is happening. They are not mind readers.

If you and you neighbours know what is going on, maybe you should set up a neighbourhood watch group and target the area involved.

As always the public are always the first to knock the police and always the last to do anything for themselves.

You should know this.

 

[PK99]

WTF is it with people who can't walk home after a night out without kicking wing mirrors off cars?
This is my third in 2 years outside my house, despite the fact that I move it to a nearby car park on weekend nights, which are normally worse for anti-social nobbers.
Other cars were also targeted last night, it's like a local pastime.
No point reporting it to the ineffective Police (due to cutbacks, not individuals).
Hacks me off big-time, and is one more reason why I won't ever buy a "good" car again. I will stick with 10 year old low value cars.

I reported mine 18 months ago, the scrotes had been seen (and recognised) doing the same to a dozen cars on the way back from the pub.

They were prosecuted and fined.

 

[PeteXXX]

It's really annoying when the local scrotes do stuff like this. Isn't it called 'low level crime'? as though it's not very important.
Replacing mirrors is expensive as well, especially if they're electric/heated ones.

 

[Drago]

I know where Brandane is coming from. We also no longer have local beat officers, so there is no one to take strategic control of the problem and target offenders.

Aside from CID and the associated specialist investigative roles, we have only a reactive policing presence in our parts.

I was a beat officer on one of the most deprived and violent estates in the UK and thoroughly enjoyed. Alas, today there is no such reassuring and proactive community presence. If Brendan's lot are like ours, which I suspect they are, the information will be logged, filed, and forgotten within seconds.

 

[Brandane]

How can the police be effective if you do not let them know what is happening. They are not mind readers.

The Police cannot be effective when they are so thin on the ground that they are now a reactive, rather than proactive, service. Non deterrent sentences handed out by the courts don't help much, either.

As always the public are always the first to knock the police and always the last to do anything for themselves.

You should know this.

I wasn't knocking the Police per sé, but the system whereby they have to work with their hands tied. You should know that. As for doing something for myself - I would say moving my car to a safer area takes care of that.
I am guessing you have been out of the Police for a long time? It's been 15 years since I was pensioned out, and I don't recognise what I am hearing from ex colleagues about how things operate these days.