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Voluntarily handing in a large blade to the UK police
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Wonder if they'll do what the Met Police did a few years back "awfully sorry its been lost"...then "its been destroyed"....- "bill us". Yorkshire tried the same ruse with a historical gun but came unstuck.
FINAL OUTCOME - THE KNIFE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO ME
From the words of that lovely movie The Illusionist, "Restored back to its rightful owner."
Sent yet another email this morning to Home Office. They replied within minutes to say, "We have contacted Croydon police today to ensure your item is returned to you as soon as possible."
An hour later I get a call from Croydon Police. Very apologetic, telling me that this blew up the system. It apparently went right to the top. Officer told me there was a back-and-forth between the Home Office and Borough Commander. Reading between the lines I'd say the police didn't want to return it, but were forced to by the HO.
Police delivered it to my house within the hour. So, I now have it in my hands. No damage.
I have no interest in embarrassing the Police. Don't do social media or anything like that. Not a vindictive type. It stops here. My intention was to get to the bottom of this craziness. It's simply a badly written law. I'm certain there'll be an updated version of it, banning a whole new swathe of large knives.
You know something, they might have gotten away with it except for one thing: When at station reception for the fourth time, they handed me pre-prepared sheets of paper, to prove its illegality. However, the officer couldn't look me in the eye and rather sheepishly pushed them my way. I knew then that I was in the right, and that he knew it. Should've employed a better actor.
I've never been so polite (think Columbo). That seemed to annoy the police staff receptionists more than anything. They were expecting anger but instead got an annoying yet extremely polite tick. One that simply wouldn't die.
Lastly, what bothers me is that a person of limited intellect, or one with poor communicative skills might've just accepted the initial outcome and walked away empty handed. In regard to British law, I wonder how often people just give up without a struggle.
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Very well done for pursuing it. Many wouldn’t have has the patience to do so so calmly yet persistently.
RE the bit in bold above. If they change the law and your knife gets caught up on it. Well the police have your address and knowledge you have such a knife. I might be paranoid but it does not mean this is not something to watch going forward should there be such an update to the law!!
Very well done sir. If you suddenly start getting several random vehicle stops, put in a complaint, because it might be that some mean person has put a marker on your reg out of sour grapes. Although, other side of the coin, that tends to be when some really obnoxious types have "gotten away" on a technicality and rubbed their noses in it.
Thank you very much for putting in the work that got your knife back.
I am going to hang on to this thread.
It describes a useful sequence and a brilliant precedent.
I don’t think that you will get any sort of reprisal but keep a journal of anything that happens if it does.
Once again - thank you!
Edited:
To recorrect the autocorrect.
There are few brilliant presidents.
I am going to hang on to this thread.
It describes a useful sequence and a brilliant precedent.
I don’t think that you will get any sort of reprisal but keep a journal of anything that happens if it does.
Once again - thank you!
Edited:
To recorrect the autocorrect.
There are few brilliant presidents.
If I haven't moved it to the USA by Christmas, it'll still mean I probably have at least another year to consider. There's usually advance warning on these things. And, if it really is banned next time, and I still have it, it 'will' qualify for compensation.RE the bit in bold above. If they change the law and your knife gets caught up on it. Well the police have your address and knowledge you have such a knife. I might be paranoid but it does not mean this is not something to watch going forward should there be such an update to the law!!
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I'm guessing that too. I could see this being an instigator to law change. So, you can probably all blame me in the future.I reckon they have bigger fish to fry
I must say, the Home Office were very good. Any delay appeared to be from the Police in carrying out HO instructions. In the end, they simply had to.
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Ended up going out of my way to be most polite. In fact, terribly, terribly polite... and nice. Hope that's enough
ADVICE FOR THE NEXT BAN:
Never surrender an item without a receipt/ticket. I spoke to a beat officer who described the new system at Croydon. Everything is given a case number and all documents are scanned into the system. The way she talked made me feel it was a fairly new IT system. The paperwork and item you submit have to match the receipt number.
Include printed photographs of said item and printouts from various selling sites as proof of value. Describe the compensation you're asking for plus a scanned receipt if still available. I also included a bit of backstory on its origin and intended use.
On my first visit I did a Columbo five times within the hour. Each time stepping outside, only to think of, "Just one more thing". They did not automatically issue any type of receipt/ticket. I had to ask, whereupon they told me it could take a long time. Probably hoping I'd just leave. Without that piece of paper you probably won't have a leg to stand on.
Be aware that once you hand any item over and the bulletproof door shuts... that's it!
GET A RECEIPT/TICKET!
Never surrender an item without a receipt/ticket. I spoke to a beat officer who described the new system at Croydon. Everything is given a case number and all documents are scanned into the system. The way she talked made me feel it was a fairly new IT system. The paperwork and item you submit have to match the receipt number.
Include printed photographs of said item and printouts from various selling sites as proof of value. Describe the compensation you're asking for plus a scanned receipt if still available. I also included a bit of backstory on its origin and intended use.
On my first visit I did a Columbo five times within the hour. Each time stepping outside, only to think of, "Just one more thing". They did not automatically issue any type of receipt/ticket. I had to ask, whereupon they told me it could take a long time. Probably hoping I'd just leave. Without that piece of paper you probably won't have a leg to stand on.
Be aware that once you hand any item over and the bulletproof door shuts... that's it!
GET A RECEIPT/TICKET!
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I am so glad to hear this correct and successful outcome. I am very upset that the enforcers of the law would do anything other than want to be correctly following the law. Trust feels broken. Judgement made and power abused until a higher power forced them to behave.
And how many hoops did they make you jump through? Ridiculous and unfair.
One time when returning home, I was stopped at customs and my bag searched. I had several knives in my bag. I stood my ground as I knew the law and was correct. The BF agent only backed down when I asked him to summon his supervisor. If I had 'complied' I would have surrendered several legal knives.
Do they have quotas to meet on seizures even if the items are not illegal, they 'pretend' they are to show how effective they are?
And how many hoops did they make you jump through? Ridiculous and unfair.
One time when returning home, I was stopped at customs and my bag searched. I had several knives in my bag. I stood my ground as I knew the law and was correct. The BF agent only backed down when I asked him to summon his supervisor. If I had 'complied' I would have surrendered several legal knives.
Do they have quotas to meet on seizures even if the items are not illegal, they 'pretend' they are to show how effective they are?
I believe they are so eager to get the blades off the street that they don´t mind if they bend or brake some law in doing so.
In the UK it is not really much more than the police at the sharp end do not know everything and have to make decisions on so much that they will make the wrong decision. I once saw some research in to traffic police understanding on the law after the relevant training course based on time. Within 18 months traffic officers were questions on the training and had forgotten so much. Indeed IIRC those who had been doing it for 10 years after training could only answer something like 20% of the assessment questions. It was probably not quite thosr figures but it was alarmingly low.
They are basically using common sense and a little bit of knowledge. I also do not think the HO information provided to the bobby at the hard end is even right. There are arseholes in any place of work and heavy on teamwork places you probably get groupthink too. However I do not think the police officers at the sharp end are trying to bend or break the law in this or most things. However they are probably guilty of what is treatedas minor corruption and self interest.
I just suspect the knife laws are so incompetently written and the whole topic inadequately managed by the politicians right through the HO officials to the police lead and senior officers. It is probably impossible for the officers to get everything right. I think I would see a knife that is only just under the limit and take it off the streets too if I did not know the full rules and understood them (which I do not).
Sorry but whilst I do criticise the police often I do feel that they are at the blunt end of this problem and as such get it from all sides. I feel a little understanding and calm approach (such as by the OP) is the only good way to behave.
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