Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to gain
entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am hoping all will
still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the boys and girls in blue.
This is the second time they have caught people recently. I hope I'm not
pushing my luck writing this lol


Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk

Robert wrote in message ...
Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to gain
entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am hoping all
will
still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the boys and girls in
blue.
This is the second time they have caught people recently. I hope I'm not
pushing my luck writing this lol


I wish our Police took it seriously.
When I mentioned our problems to our local policeman I got, " it's just kids
with high spirits, nothing to worry about Sir".
When I told him recently there was someone camping out on our site behind
the brambles (and using my tarpaulin!) I was told he had seen it and there
was nobody there when he took a look although he did see a radio and
clothes.
Couldn't be bothered, (and it's under one of the flightpaths from Heathrow,
does that need much thinking about?).
Over the last few years I have become and am becoming more and more
disillusioned with the boys in blue and their attitude to the rest of us.
--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

Robert wrote in message ...
Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to gain
entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am hoping all
will
still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the boys and girls in
blue.
This is the second time they have caught people recently. I hope I'm not
pushing my luck writing this lol


I wish our Police took it seriously.
When I mentioned our problems to our local policeman I got, " it's just kids
with high spirits, nothing to worry about Sir".
When I told him recently there was someone camping out on our site behind
the brambles (and using my tarpaulin!) I was told he had seen it and there
was nobody there when he took a look although he did see a radio and
clothes.
Couldn't be bothered, (and it's under one of the flightpaths from Heathrow,
does that need much thinking about?).
Over the last few years I have become and am becoming more and more
disillusioned with the boys in blue and their attitude to the rest of us.
--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

We had a useless sort of attitude before but lately the police down here are
taking all crimes seriously, trying to wipe it out before it gets worse I
think. They sometimes never even turned up for 999 calls but now, not only
turn up but catch people as well.

I'm not sure if the lads were intent on theft or vandalism but they will
have their names and addresses taken which is something, and a warning.

I went up around at 10 last night and all seemed well although some clever
person had turned one of the taps on full pelt


Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:
: Robert wrote in message ...
:: Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to
:: gain entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am
:: hoping all will still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the
:: boys and girls in blue. This is the second time they have caught
:: people recently. I hope I'm not pushing my luck writing this lol
::
:
: I wish our Police took it seriously.
: When I mentioned our problems to our local policeman I got, " it's
: just kids with high spirits, nothing to worry about Sir".
: When I told him recently there was someone camping out on our site
: behind the brambles (and using my tarpaulin!) I was told he had seen
: it and there was nobody there when he took a look although he did see
: a radio and clothes.
: Couldn't be bothered, (and it's under one of the flightpaths from
: Heathrow, does that need much thinking about?).
: Over the last few years I have become and am becoming more and more
: disillusioned with the boys in blue and their attitude to the rest of
: us.

Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk

We had a group of little "high spiriters" down our allotment breaking into
sheds and doing some damage, unfortunately I was deployed at the time, so
the wife had to just ignore them, as i'm sure these little ten year old
darlings would probably have done her a mischeaf.

We talked about it a while and decided that if we'd done anything and
they'ed been violent, it probably would've been me in the dock not them...
So after a bit of thought I wondered if I could (legally) take photo's of
them comitting the crimes and put them up in the local newsagents window
asking if these where anybodies kids... sort of name and shame? Would I be
done for it?

Luckely they have not been back since they have seen me walking around the
allotment with the wife... so..... I don't know........

Any thoughts?





"The Devil's Advocate" wrote in
message ...
We had a useless sort of attitude before but lately the police down here
are
taking all crimes seriously, trying to wipe it out before it gets worse I
think. They sometimes never even turned up for 999 calls but now, not only
turn up but catch people as well.

I'm not sure if the lads were intent on theft or vandalism but they will
have their names and addresses taken which is something, and a warning.

I went up around at 10 last night and all seemed well although some clever
person had turned one of the taps on full pelt


Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:
: Robert wrote in message ...
:: Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to
:: gain entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am
:: hoping all will still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the
:: boys and girls in blue. This is the second time they have caught
:: people recently. I hope I'm not pushing my luck writing this lol
::
:
: I wish our Police took it seriously.
: When I mentioned our problems to our local policeman I got, " it's
: just kids with high spirits, nothing to worry about Sir".
: When I told him recently there was someone camping out on our site
: behind the brambles (and using my tarpaulin!) I was told he had seen
: it and there was nobody there when he took a look although he did see
: a radio and clothes.
: Couldn't be bothered, (and it's under one of the flightpaths from
: Heathrow, does that need much thinking about?).
: Over the last few years I have become and am becoming more and more
: disillusioned with the boys in blue and their attitude to the rest of
: us.

Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk

The name and shame bit sounds excellent - initially!
Trouble is, some parents stick by their kids no matter what.
Instead of encouraging the parents to reprimand the kids for vandalism, this
action may well get them beating down your door and/or sueing for liable.

Phil

I must admit I am thinking of taking my digital camera up with me as I can
never describe them adequately to the Police. Tall ******* in dark clothing
is not much to go on they tell me lol


Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk
"Lee" wrote in message
. net...
: We had a group of little "high spiriters" down our allotment breaking into
: sheds and doing some damage, unfortunately I was deployed at the time, so
: the wife had to just ignore them, as i'm sure these little ten year old
: darlings would probably have done her a mischeaf.
:
: We talked about it a while and decided that if we'd done anything and
: they'ed been violent, it probably would've been me in the dock not them...
: So after a bit of thought I wondered if I could (legally) take photo's of
: them comitting the crimes and put them up in the local newsagents window
: asking if these where anybodies kids... sort of name and shame? Would I be
: done for it?
:
: Luckely they have not been back since they have seen me walking around the
: allotment with the wife... so..... I don't know........
:
: Any thoughts?
:
:
:
:
:
: "The Devil's Advocate" wrote in
: message ...
: We had a useless sort of attitude before but lately the police down here
: are
: taking all crimes seriously, trying to wipe it out before it gets worse
I
: think. They sometimes never even turned up for 999 calls but now, not
only
: turn up but catch people as well.
:
: I'm not sure if the lads were intent on theft or vandalism but they will
: have their names and addresses taken which is something, and a warning.
:
: I went up around at 10 last night and all seemed well although some
clever
: person had turned one of the taps on full pelt
:
:
: Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:
: : Robert wrote in message ...
: :: Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to
: :: gain entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am
: :: hoping all will still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the
: :: boys and girls in blue. This is the second time they have caught
: :: people recently. I hope I'm not pushing my luck writing this lol
: ::
: :
: : I wish our Police took it seriously.
: : When I mentioned our problems to our local policeman I got, " it's
: : just kids with high spirits, nothing to worry about Sir".
: : When I told him recently there was someone camping out on our site
: : behind the brambles (and using my tarpaulin!) I was told he had seen
: : it and there was nobody there when he took a look although he did see
: : a radio and clothes.
: : Couldn't be bothered, (and it's under one of the flightpaths from
: : Heathrow, does that need much thinking about?).
: : Over the last few years I have become and am becoming more and more
: : disillusioned with the boys in blue and their attitude to the rest of
: : us.
:
: Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk
:
:
:
:

The Devil's Advocate wrote:


Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to gain
entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am hoping all will
still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the boys and girls in blue.
This is the second time they have caught people recently. I hope I'm not
pushing my luck writing this lol


Well we have had several problems on our site, but since the last fracas
where a group was escorted to the gates by one of our plotholders where
a scuffle ensued and they stole his keys..

However he chased them (he rides a bike everywhere so is pretty fit)
across several streets and luckily the police who were by this time in
'pursuit' by car, passed him and managed to corner 3 of the 4 of them..

By that time of course they had no keys on them..

We're also liasing with the school concerned and local residents
assoc... We actually have 'community officers' patrolling through the
allotments as opart of their rounds during lunch breaks now..

We haven't given up despite the council saying there's no money to fix
the gaps in the fence etc...


Mind you since then and the last shed burning down its been all quiet
touch wood. Though the fire brigade weren't impressive saying they
couldn't open the gate as they didn't have a key.. (Its a standard
FB2!!-) Doh!!! I think they just didn't look!

//
Jim

On Mon, 7 Jul 2003 12:56:47 +0100, "Lee" wrote:

~We had a group of little "high spiriters" down our allotment breaking into
~sheds and doing some damage, unfortunately I was deployed at the time, so
~the wife had to just ignore them, as i'm sure these little ten year old
~darlings would probably have done her a mischeaf.
~
~We talked about it a while and decided that if we'd done anything and
~they'ed been violent, it probably would've been me in the dock not them...
~So after a bit of thought I wondered if I could (legally) take photo's of
~them comitting the crimes and put them up in the local newsagents window
~asking if these where anybodies kids... sort of name and shame? Would I be
~done for it?
~
~Luckely they have not been back since they have seen me walking around the
~allotment with the wife... so..... I don't know........
~
~Any thoughts?
~

Are there locks on the gates? *Are* there gates?

My allotments had locks put on all gates a month after I got my plot.
In the month before, I had my leeks nicked, and sheds were always
getting burned. Since the locks, there has been no trouble. Admittedly
a few weeks ago some nit left a padlock hooked open over the gate and
some little dears wandered past (in full view of a fellow plotholder)
and nicked it. Took the council 6 weeks to get a new one to the same
keycoding. And still folk leave the padlock off... I always lock it
on regardless. As a girlie often up there alone (thank goodness for
mobile phones!) I am always aware of the gates being opened and I
prefer the added security of being locked in, as it were.

jane


~"The Devil's Advocate" wrote in
~message ...
~ We had a useless sort of attitude before but lately the police down here
~are
~ taking all crimes seriously, trying to wipe it out before it gets worse I
~ think. They sometimes never even turned up for 999 calls but now, not only
~ turn up but catch people as well.
~
~ I'm not sure if the lads were intent on theft or vandalism but they will
~ have their names and addresses taken which is something, and a warning.
~
~ I went up around at 10 last night and all seemed well although some clever
~ person had turned one of the taps on full pelt
~
~
~ Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:
~ : Robert wrote in message ...
~ :: Had to call 999 twice this afternoon as three lads were trying to
~ :: gain entry to the site. The police caught them, they say so I am
~ :: hoping all will still be in one piece tomorrow. Three cheers for the
~ :: boys and girls in blue. This is the second time they have caught
~ :: people recently. I hope I'm not pushing my luck writing this lol
~ ::
~ :
~ : I wish our Police took it seriously.
~ : When I mentioned our problems to our local policeman I got, " it's
~ : just kids with high spirits, nothing to worry about Sir".
~ : When I told him recently there was someone camping out on our site
~ : behind the brambles (and using my tarpaulin!) I was told he had seen
~ : it and there was nobody there when he took a look although he did see
~ : a radio and clothes.
~ : Couldn't be bothered, (and it's under one of the flightpaths from
~ : Heathrow, does that need much thinking about?).
~ : Over the last few years I have become and am becoming more and more
~ : disillusioned with the boys in blue and their attitude to the rest of
~ : us.
~
~ Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk
~
~
~
~

--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

Jane wrote in message :
Are there locks on the gates? *Are* there gates?

My allotments had locks put on all gates a month after I got my plot.
In the month before, I had my leeks nicked, and sheds were always
getting burned. Since the locks, there has been no trouble. Admittedly
a few weeks ago some nit left a padlock hooked open over the gate and
some little dears wandered past (in full view of a fellow plotholder)
and nicked it. Took the council 6 weeks to get a new one to the same
keycoding. And still folk leave the padlock off... I always lock it
on regardless.

At least our Council weld the padlock to the chain which is itself welded to
the gate so it can't be nicked without tools.
When Sue with the help of friends caught 6 kids that were stoning her the
police came quickly and let them go after taking their names, saying "Oh we
know their families, doesn't surprise us".
But nothing was done!
I, with the help of the Swan Sanctuary next door, have taken to blocking up
their paths and entry points with all sorts of things like piles of rotting
veg, swan shit, fly tipping rubbish......and planting more brambles. It's
had an effect, as has actually talking, passing the time of day, to some
older kids seen on site.

Cuttings off brambles, when they dry, are better than barbed wire. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

In article , Sue & Bob Hobden
writes

At least our Council weld the padlock to the chain which is itself welded to
the gate so it can't be nicked without tools.
When Sue with the help of friends caught 6 kids that were stoning her the
police came quickly and let them go after taking their names, saying "Oh we
know their families, doesn't surprise us".
But nothing was done!
I, with the help of the Swan Sanctuary next door, have taken to blocking up
their paths and entry points with all sorts of things like piles of rotting
veg, swan shit, fly tipping rubbish......and planting more brambles. It's
had an effect, as has actually talking, passing the time of day, to some
older kids seen on site.

Cuttings off brambles, when they dry, are better than barbed wire. :-)

We run a nature Park which is right in the Town Centre, so also suffer
from vandalism. We can't keep people out altogether, obviously! But
decreasing the number of entry points helps, as does trying to reduce
the number of places where people can congregate unseen - our seats are
in very open and visible areas, and never two together.

I'm encouraging brambles around the edge, both to bar access and to trap
litter from the adjacent industrial estate.

We also have to be aware of possible temptation - don't leave anything
moveable near the ponds, for example! And removing litter bins
altogether has decreased the amount of litter.

Talking to kids also helps. We also take our work into schools and get
ourselves known as people, IYSWIM. Might be scope for you to do
something similar.

Our worst period is May - June when the children are on 'standby' from
school because of exams. By July, they're more interested in earning
money than in setting fire to dens, and we're back to routine litter
picking for the rest of the year.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , Lee
writes
We had a group of little "high spiriters" down our allotment breaking into
sheds and doing some damage, unfortunately I was deployed at the time, so
the wife had to just ignore them, as i'm sure these little ten year old
darlings would probably have done her a mischeaf.

We talked about it a while and decided that if we'd done anything and
they'ed been violent, it probably would've been me in the dock not them...
So after a bit of thought I wondered if I could (legally) take photo's of
them comitting the crimes and put them up in the local newsagents window
asking if these where anybodies kids... sort of name and shame? Would I be
done for it?

I think you would run into trouble publishing a picture of anyone
alleging they had committed a crime. However, our local schools have
indicated that they are willing to take action against children
vandalising locally if they are shown photos of the children involved.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , Sue & Bob Hobden
writes

At least our Council weld the padlock to the chain which is itself welded to
the gate so it can't be nicked without tools.
When Sue with the help of friends caught 6 kids that were stoning her the
police came quickly and let them go after taking their names, saying "Oh we
know their families, doesn't surprise us".
But nothing was done!
I, with the help of the Swan Sanctuary next door, have taken to blocking up
their paths and entry points with all sorts of things like piles of rotting
veg, swan shit, fly tipping rubbish......and planting more brambles. It's
had an effect, as has actually talking, passing the time of day, to some
older kids seen on site.

Cuttings off brambles, when they dry, are better than barbed wire. :-)

We run a nature Park which is right in the Town Centre, so also suffer
from vandalism. We can't keep people out altogether, obviously! But
decreasing the number of entry points helps, as does trying to reduce
the number of places where people can congregate unseen - our seats are
in very open and visible areas, and never two together.

I'm encouraging brambles around the edge, both to bar access and to trap
litter from the adjacent industrial estate.

We also have to be aware of possible temptation - don't leave anything
moveable near the ponds, for example! And removing litter bins
altogether has decreased the amount of litter.

Talking to kids also helps. We also take our work into schools and get
ourselves known as people, IYSWIM. Might be scope for you to do
something similar.

Our worst period is May - June when the children are on 'standby' from
school because of exams. By July, they're more interested in earning
money than in setting fire to dens, and we're back to routine litter
picking for the rest of the year.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , Lee
writes
We had a group of little "high spiriters" down our allotment breaking into
sheds and doing some damage, unfortunately I was deployed at the time, so
the wife had to just ignore them, as i'm sure these little ten year old
darlings would probably have done her a mischeaf.

We talked about it a while and decided that if we'd done anything and
they'ed been violent, it probably would've been me in the dock not them...
So after a bit of thought I wondered if I could (legally) take photo's of
them comitting the crimes and put them up in the local newsagents window
asking if these where anybodies kids... sort of name and shame? Would I be
done for it?

I think you would run into trouble publishing a picture of anyone
alleging they had committed a crime. However, our local schools have
indicated that they are willing to take action against children
vandalising locally if they are shown photos of the children involved.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

I don`t think anything quite gets me het up as the stories i hear and
read about vandalism on allottment sites. From the lady in the garden
news to the chap whose allottment diary I`ve been rivited to for the
last 3 months and who recently decided to pack up the diary because of
the vandals.

Then you read about what the police do about it. NOTHING. Really gets
me going. Just glad we don`t have the problem ours yet.