Learnt a bad lesson today

[Mouse040]

Well what a day kids at school so decided to go and have some dad time I'm a short 5 minuite walk from my local woodland / Vally boundary and I do not make it up when I say I do this walk everyday of the week but today was different 2 minutes from my house I'm stopped by a officer of the law I carrie my shoulder bag with me when I'm out which contains the usual bits axe , saw , first aid kit , tinder box ,water bottle , tarp, monocular ,crooked knife and my prized possession my boar bushcraft knife just bits for a day out
Anyway today this very polite officer decided I obviously looked strange or stranger than normal and stopped me for a "chat" this chat leading to me no longer owning my knife which I can only describe as heartbreaking as it is definitely the most expensive item I own in my kit and justifying it was hard enough to start with
Apparently the blade was above the legal allowed limit giving the officer the rights to remove it from me obviously I was less than happy and after asking quite politely for valid justification we were joined by three more of his officer friends who then spent 45 minutes searching my bag and discussing the contents which resulted in me being relieved of my knife ,wildlife axe and spoon knife

After a visit to the station I have been allowed to take my axe and spoon knife home with me but not my knife as the blade was longer than 3 inches and apparently bushcraft is not a valid reason to carrie a knife

Has anyone else experienced this ? As I am now past the shock and feel completely and utterly robbed as I will not be able to replace this as any spare money I have goes towards kitting out my boys as with any father

Any advise greatly received

 

[HillBill]

They cant give you your other sharps back and not the knife. They all come under the same legislation. Go back, make a complaint.

 

[Mouse040]

Made a complaint they didn't recognise the crooked knife as a knife ? And the axe was in there feeling acceptable to be honest I'd rather be attacked by a knife than an axe I'm now writing a letter to my local chief but I'm worried about what they will do with the knife in the mean while

 

[resnikov]

Did you get a receipt for them?
Also where there any cautions involved?

 

[Mouse040]

Yes I've got a receipt and had a so called warning which will be on file I was not charged or cautioned just given a fact sheet and informed of ramifications of doing it again

 

[Perrari]

I feel gutted for you ! Did they know what Bushcraft was ? Have they heard of Ray Mears ? Probably not ! It has never happened to me, so don't really know what to advise. But personally I would write your letter, and try to explain that bushcraft is a pastime that many people enjoy, (28,000) on this forum alone. Many people just don't understand.
I wish you all the luck to sort it out.

 

[dwardo]

Did you explain that you had these "tools" with you because you were intending to use them for carving something?
I would guess if you didnt immediately come up with a reason to carry then they have the upper hand, right or wrong.

If they said its an illegal weapon then they should have had a reason. They kind fo shot them selves in the foot by handing back the FIXED blade spoon knife and the FIXED blade axe. Length alone is not the "point"

Write a nice letter asking for the knife back explaining that you do not believe they are correct and ask them to explain which laws were broken and what the difference between the tools was.

 

[Expat]

Have they heard of Ray Mears ?

I shouldn't use this as an argument.... or advise them to watch any of his programmes - probably bore them to death.....

 

[Will_]

Feel really sorry for you mate.
Hope you get it back - they definitely contradicted themselves by giving back the axe but not the knife, you're onto something chasing that one up.
Some cops are legends, but some are just bullies! You never know what you're going to get...

 

[Will_]

Just been chuckling away imagining someone saying:
"I'm carrying this knife for bushcraft purposes officer. If you try and take it, I'll stab you."

 

[The Survivor]

Feel sorry for you, seriously.

 

[Mouse040]

Don't really know why but I felt guilty for having them on me and to be honest was quite put out by being stopped at all and could quite easily of got funny with him as I had done nothing wrong and quite resent being stopped at all

 

[British Red]

Get a solicitor. Seriously - writing letters won't help. Civil prosecution for them taking your property, complaints to the IPCC etc. will. Clearly all of this will hinge on the "good reason" you had for carrying your tools. Provided that the landowner of the wood will confirm that you had permission to carry out wood carving there, you were transporting tools to carry out a legal activity.

 

[The Survivor]

Don't really know why but I felt guilty for having them on me and to be honest was quite put out by being stopped at all and could quite easily of got funny with him as I had done nothing wrong and quite resent being stopped at all

Know exactly what you mean. Five seconds after they are gone and your just angry. Every one is the same.

 

[salad]

if you feel strongly about it, then maybe you could go back and tell them you would prefer to take it up with a judge in court and they should charge you accordingly, then you would have the opportunity to prove that bushcraft is a reasonable reason to have a knife. But of course you would have to be very convinced of your argument to go down that road and I am not sure that once you signed your knife away you could go back and ask for your chance to defend your self in court .

The police are supposed to give good reason for a search as well, just wondering what the reason was they gave you ?

 

[Macaroon]

They're completely out of order - you had a valid "just cause" to be carrying these tools, and you should have insisted on this. If I were in your shoes I'd get down to the CAB and they'll give you access to a solicitor or a paralegal who will draft a letter to the police for you asserting your right to have your tool returned to you.

Whatever you do, don't let this drop - they should be aware of the intention of the law as well as the letter of it and you were Not in the wrong in any way from what you describe. It'll go in your favour that you complied with their requests at the time, and that you explained yourself in a way that they should have, without doubt, accepted as valid and just cause to be carrying your tools to the woodland and going about your lawful business.

Make 'em have it!..................................atb mac

 

[Stew]

Over the legal length? So it was a folder then?

 

[Macaroon]

Don't take any further action yourself without legal advice - you'll lose that game, they know how to play it better than you...........

Why on earth would you feel guilty for doing something perfectly legal? This is the UK and nobody has the right to intimidate you or interfere with you going about your lawful business: So don't let them!

 

[andybysea]

I agree with BritishReds advice so long as you have permission to use the land you where going to then you are merely getting from a-to b how else are you meant to get the tools there(assuming they were inside the rucksack,inside the sheath) you were taking tools to a legitimate place of use.

 

[Mouse040]

I amazingly have had a response from the chief of my local station after emailing a complaint in which I have explained my reason for having them and contact details for the land owner his response states

" I feel my officers are acting completely within the law and would of had due cause to stop you and if warranted remove the said items from you at the given time however I am open to hearing your complaint and invite you to visit the station at a mutually acceptable time "

I have asked for the earlyist time available I will keep you informed