Our day off started with a phone call just after 8am from the police. They had had an armed response unit sitting in our road in the night (8|) and were interested to observe some men on the roof of our church. (The armed response unit were responding to another incident, which I don’t know anything about: they just ‘happened’ to be there when the men pinched the lead).
They caught them with their arms full of lead, and arrested them :>>
Yes, it is our lead. Yes, we did put smart water on it so we can prove it (smart water shows up under ultra-violet light). Yes, the water pipe has broken away at the top, where the thieves climbed it. Yes, Hub will sign his statement.
Now for the bad news. The thieves may get away with only a caution 88|
Hang on a minute. This is the 4th time we’ve had our lead pinched. 10 churches every week are being burgled for their lead. The insurance companies won’t insure us any more.
And, how come a girl taking a bottle of water from a shop during last summer’s riots got 4 months in prison, and a gang of thieves, caught red-handed, get let off with a caution??? :crazy:
Oh yes, we shall pursue this one!
(for more on smart water see here: http://www.smartwater.com/Business/Products/Churches-and-Heritage.aspx)
Godschool's Blog 
The world has been crackers for a long time, everything is upside down and inside out!!!
All that’s required is a return to good old common sense! I would be absolutely bleeping furious…I hope you do persue it and they don’t get off with it! xxxxx
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Well the nice policeman said that, as they admitted it and didn’t have any tools with them and they were first offenders etc etc then that is the procedure – to let them off with a caution. Although they do now have a record.
Today we found a tool on the roof! We’ve bagged it and it’s on its way to the Crime Investigation unit – but don’t think it will make any difference :no:
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Victims don’t get priority treatment, the criminals do, poor souls. They probably had a hard time growing up, were part of a struggling working class family. Yeah right!And stole off similar people. Its a western thing now, gillyk.
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The woolly liberal approach? I agree! You don’t get it in most countries. And we keep saying these things, as if that excused the behaviour. What nonsense. Go to any poor country – really poor – and most of the people are law-abiding and hardworking.
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There seems to be no justice these days. How many churches can carry on with getting their roofs stolen! Its terrible.
I cant believe they got caught by an armed response unit and then get a caution.
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Yes, I didn’t make it clear that the ARU was there for some other reason, unknown to me … but even so!!!
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This is appalling!! So climbing onto a church roof and taking the lead is ‘it was just lying around so thought we could take it!’ Never heard such utter dribble in my life! Knowing that they will get away with it is worse!! The law is indeed an ass!!
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:yes: The policeman dealing with the case isn’t very bright – appears to accept their reason that they just found this piece of lead lying around … they have now been let off with a caution, which is standard for first offenders – but we’re going to take it up later this week with someone higher up!
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Pleased that you have done all you can to prevent these thefts – surprised that they arrived with an armed response unit – and why use up all those resources and then just give them a sharp talking to? Crazy!
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Apologies – I didn’t make it clear. The ARU was there on quite another case – but caught this lot as well as whatever else it was they were supposed to be doing! The thieves have now been let off with a caution – standard for first offenders, apparently. But we’re taking it up later this week with somebody in more authority, as it was so clearly a lie they were telling, and the problem of metal theft is at epidemic proportions, as the police know very well.
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Who advised you that a caution for this nationally highlighted offence, might be appropriate?
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The police. We’ve had yet another call from them this evening. It is the first offence of the gang, apparently. And they put their hands up to it. At least, they admitted to ‘picking up the lead which was just lying around and they thought nobody wanted it’. On this basis, they will be released with a caution.
It may be their first offence but they are obviously practised liars!
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Excuse me, the ,gang, not individuals, are first offenders- more like, first time caught acting together. Do the individuals not have any responsibility in law for the consequences of their actions? Pursue….this is weird. Was the lead lying around; did officers see these people come down from the roof with the stuff? It’s odd it was just lying around at roof level, if that was the case. What were they arrested for?
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For suspected stealing of the lead. The constable who is handling their case isn’t very bright. When they pleaded guilty he let them off with a caution because it is a first offence. We are not going to let this go. It is only too obvious that they had taken the lead off the roof – it had been on the roof, that was why it was marked with smart water – but not enough for PC ecobulb.
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Something very odd here. I wonder if there is another operation running along with this. I do suspect though, it is almost a kind of police work to rule.
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It does make one wonder!
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What you report, seems to suggest that these people and similar minded ones, individually, in pairs, or groups, are being given licence to continue thieving, especially currently valuable metals.
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I strongly suspect that’s exactly what the thieves are thinking. A further conversation with the police today elicited the information that the gang had no tools on them and that is one of the reasons why they were let off with a caution. This is very puzzling – were they pulling up the lead with their bare hands? We will instigate a search for any hidden tools tomorrow!
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The police are not exactly pulling the stops out are they. You shouldn’t be having to seek the evidence unattended, after all, you could contaminate a scene of crime, rendering evidence at worst useless, at best substantially weakened. Make sure you have gloves on in case you handle anything and witnesses to corroborate what you say or do. Some camera shots or film might help.
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Good thoughts – thanks.
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You’re welcome.
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Guess what – a tool has now been found. We’ve put it in a sandwich bag and Hub will take it with him today when he goes in to the city police for his chaplaincy session. He’ll be seeing the head of the Crime Investigation unit.
So we shall see.
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It’s a pretty shabby police investigation.
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I agree,Gilly.It’s political.
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Sometimes the law is an ass, Cate …
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That is just awful! Isn’t it interesting about the girl who stole the bottle of water – how she was made such an example of. And water is a basic fundamental human need… whereas lead isn’t!
Oh dear… the world is upside-down isn’t it? That is infuriating….. they mustn’t get away with it … they mustn’t…. :no:
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They will … 😦
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I should hope you will!!! My blood pressure is going up just thinking about it.x
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Good job my blood pressure is low, Janet … :))
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