Be careful out there folks

[daveO]

A treasure hunting Youtuber I follow posted up the video below today. In case you don't want to watch he goes into the woods with some friends to dig out an old bottle dump looking for old or collectable bottles, each to their own right. Sadly a couple of members of the public reported seeing men carrying a bag into the woods and a full armed response was called in including a helicopter and dogs. It's interesting just to listen to the police officer's explaination of the response and to see what happens in that kind of situation. He seems to suggest that this is the normal response these days. I wouldn't have believed this sort of thing really happens without the video. It's around the London area I think so probably a bit more high alert than the rest of the country but still a bit overblown for a bit of poaching. It's not just the police response though but the opinions of the public regarding people going into the woods carrying stuff and wearing camo.

 

[Janne]

I would hate to have to experience something like that, but looking at the situation from the ‘other side’:
A couple of dodgy looking blokes dressed to blend in, carrying something bulky and well covered up, into a forested area.

If I saw that, I would call the police too, to be truthful.

 

[Woody girl]

Whaaaat? ??????? Even digging a hole gets an armed response????? I'm discombobulated

 

[Fadcode]

No wonder the rates go up, what a palaver.

 

[MartinK9]

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

[Herman30]

The police handled that nicely, not in a gung-ho intimidating style like I would imagine USA police would.

 

[Janne]

Did they say who the land belongs to?

 

[Clayze]

Being an occasional metal detectorist, I have carried my detector in a longish case with a sling. I've had several casual enquiries from other members of the public asking me if I've got a gun.
I don't think think the guys in the video mentioned wether or not they had permission to be on and dig the land. What I know about civil law could probably be written on the back of postage stamp. But...I have a feeling that a landowner could potentially take a person to court under certain circumstances.
I have to agree though, the police handled the situation very professionally.

 

[Stew]

Whaaaat? ??????? Even digging a hole gets an armed response????? I'm discombobulated

To be fair, the armed response wasn't because they were digging a hole. The police officers give a good account of why they acted at the level they did in the video.

 

[Woody girl]

To be fair, the armed response wasn't because they were digging a hole. The police officers give a good account of why they acted at the level they did in the video.

Sorry mate.. I do have a rather odd sense of humour sometimes. I thought the overuse of question marks and the use of comedian ken dodd's phrase discombobulated might give a clue. But I do realise not everyone will get it.

 

[Robson Valley]

I can see the concern regarding the 12 gauge shovels that the pubic public had seen.
Or were they .45 cal garden trowels?

Here, middens have enormous historical value, back into thousands of years paleo.
Documented excavations use money, people and time. Never enough.
I'd expect no less all across the UK.

 

[Damascus]

I can somewhat relate to this, a couple of years ago I was on a shoot and last drive of the day we noticed the police helicopter up above and thought nothing of it, as we walked off the field to go to our vehicles 4 armed response teams turned up and two dog vans!

Well we must have looked like terrorists, dress in tweed and wax jackets etc and the average was about 55, they could see the humorous side of the things and so could we, but someone had called in to say they had seen armed (correct) suspicious looking people walking across a field, the shoot had been there for some 25 years!

Two issues, the perception of the public and lack of good old local bobbies who knew what was going on, (retired policeman my self). And I’m sure the guys going to dig, description given to the police was, the bin bags looked like they contained half dozen, 50 cal Barrets. The Police, you’re right they are doing their job and with their financial restraints they could do without this time wasting situations.

 

[Stew]

Sorry mate.. I do have a rather odd sense of humour sometimes. I thought the overuse of question marks and the use of comedian ken dodd's phrase discombobulated might give a clue. But I do realise not everyone will get it.

No worries. I guess if you had said it face to face that I would have got it.

 

[Fadcode]

I think it shows how careful you need to be when out and about,especially in a group and/or if you look or act suspicious then a member of the Public can and probably will report you, and if you were carrying a knife you could end up in serious trouble, despite what could be a reasonable excuse to carry one.
its also important to remember what the Officer said, that the days have gone when a Beat Bobby would be asked to investigate a group that may be armed or dangerous

 

[MartinK9]

SNIP> its also important to remember what the Officer said, that the days have gone when a Beat Bobby would be asked to investigate a group that may be armed or dangerous

I'd just like them to investigate both sides of the street TBH.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uk...tigate-burglaries-at-even-numbered-homes.html

 

[Stew]

I'd just like them to investigate both sides of the street TBH.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uk...tigate-burglaries-at-even-numbered-homes.html

Wow, I almost expected that to be an article on the daily mash! I guess the criminals just need to start breaking into houses with odd numbers only.....

 

[Fadcode]

Best solution is to name your house and do away with the number, Dunroamin, Thistledome, and dare I say Letsbeavinyou,
What a Palaver

 

[brambles]

A couple of dodgy looking blokes dressed to blend in, carrying something bulky and well covered up, into a forested area.

If I saw that, I would call the police too, to be truthful.

Let's hope you never come to one of the moots then, you've just described it perfectly!

 

[saxonaxe]

" Damned if they do, damned if they don't. "...

Yep! You nailed it... The same Snowflakes would whine, 'why didn't the Police do something about that buried arms cache, after they were told about strange men digging in the wood?'.......

 

[Janne]

Let's hope you never come to one of the moots then, you've just described it perfectly!

You all are dressed in camo, sneaking around woodlands with long tools well covered?
Digging random holes?