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Police want to break into your house…to teach you about crime

132678-police Police in Macclesfield are planning to pose as burglars and go from house-to-house in the early hours of the morning, testing whether windows and doors are locked, in a bid to show the importance of home safety, according to the Manchester Evening News.

As they report:

Code-named ‘Operation Golden’,the new initiative will work between 4pm and 2am, and householders who fall foul of their checks will be told: "If we had been burglars, by now you would have lost cash, valuables such as a laptop or an iPod, sentimental items such as jewellery and possibly the car off your drive!"

Inspector Gareth Woods, heading up the operation in Macclesfield, admits some people will not be happy about the early-hour wake-up call.

"If we’re told to get lost then that’s a risk we take. It’s a difficult balance to strike," he said.

"The bottom line is officers get a mixed reception when doing anything like this, but I would say to any of my officers that if they see an insecure car or house to let the owner know no matter what time of day or night.

"Most reasonable people will say thanks for letting them know and are grateful."

I think Inspector Woods might be slightly deluding himself. Certainly the odd few homeowners that are visited in the early evening and told their garage is unlocked might be civil; but if his officers are ringing doorbells at 3am to tell people their catflap is slightly ajar, he could well find the community turns against the project.

The more salient point, however, is that the vast majority of people know what constitutes good home safety and what does not. This is excessive nanny-statism – the police shouldn’t try to be social workers. Their job is to solve crimes and they should stick to that.

By Dylan Sharpe

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Big Brother Watch Posted in Home
  • http://profile.typepad.com/grahamkida GrahamkidA

    I have experience of this situation where Police use a clause in PACE (giving them power of entry without warrant where they believe life or property may be at risk) to then use the opportunity to search a home for evidence. Best lock your doors/ windows – not from fear of burglary but from unwarranted police searches. If you think only a magistrate can grant police a search warrant on grounds of reasonable suspicion – think again..

  • ZacS

    I want to know how long it is before some homeowner, thinking a burglar is in his house, comes down the stairs with a cricket bat and gets tazed? People will then be scared to confront burglars (who will usually run if discovered, there are easier targets out there than the guy wielding a 2×4), in case it’s the police, who will bang them up for attempted assault?

  • http://alastairs-place.net alastair

    Surely this is unlawful? The police cannot possibly have a reasonable belief that life of property may be at risk, if for no other reason than a burglar is not going to break in while the policeman is standing there.

  • Sandy

    I cannot believe I am reading this. Dylan you should have kept this one for April Fools day.
    I am having visions of this taking place. Who was that tennis player that used to say ‘You cannot be serious’…lol

  • Sandy

    I have just got to Twitter this…lol

  • LeChiffre

    Prevention of crime is an important and legitimate police function. Police on the beat may well test doorknobs and window security and, within reason, alert occupants to risk.
    But what’s all this about coppers posing as burglars: this is just media hype. The officer in the news article photo is properly attired. However, both Ria Nortcliffe (see link above) and Dylan Sharpe seem to suggest that the visiting Plod will be dressed in a burglar costume with a swag bag.
    What is rather untoward is this: “Officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are also distributing thousands of door hanger cards which list security checks to be carried out before anyone leaves home.” This distribution of door hanger cards could much more efficiently be achieved by mail and does not look like a proper use of resources.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/grahamkida GrahamkidA

    In the 80′s there was huge a surge in crime against property. Willie Whitelaw – the HO minister came up with a novel political solution – blame the victims for not protecting themselves.
    I do not burgle a house I pass because a door is open – but because it would be wrong. The danger in the assumption that a burglary is somehow acceptable because a door was open is a dangerous removal of an individuals moral duty.
    I do not wear a lead jacket outdoors in case I am knifed – but if I was knifed in the street and wasn’t wearing “protection” would I be somehow culpable for the injuries I sustained?
    I have a freedom to leave my doors open or my windows open if I choose & I also have a right to privacy. This police action outlined above denies both but worse it also upholds a moral wrong in that a victim is in any way responsible for the criminal actions of another.
    Oldham police, spend less time telling citizens to lock themselves up in there home and more time identifying and prosecuting the reason why the would need to!

  • LeChiffre

    @GrahamkidA
    Don’t blame poor old Willie Whitelaw. The notion that the victim is to blame came from the tabloids with their disgusting headlines to the effect that, “She was asking for it.”

  • Sandy

    I guess I must have a warped sense of humour in seeeing the funny side of this..Today, I read we also have Burglars pretending to be Cops…Now how is the householder supposed to know the difference?
    http://www.leics.police.uk/news/3296_warning_after_distraction_burglars_claim_to/

  • Purlieu

    This is priceless.
    Please call on Tony Martin.

  • Sandy

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8517203.stm
    I who have little faith, would have believed this 750.000 stash find…IF, it had been released before an official complaint had been made.

  • http://www.gadgettown.com/Doorbells/ video doorbells

    “This is excessive nanny-statism – the police shouldn’t try to be social workers. Their job is to solve crimes and they should stick to that.” i agree.

  • j

    if tht happendto me they would get shot for tresspassing i dont care if its a cop it violates our constitutional right its called illeagle search and seizer they canot get away cuz if i was in the shower and i got out hearing something downstairs i would grab the gun and go downstairs and if i didnt no the person i would shoot them in the shoulder dont cart who it is if its a cop breaking in my house they still will get shot

  • Jess_na_1999

    I don’t answer the door unless my hair and makeup are done and I’m dressed. What would the police do if my house was dark but locked up? Would they try to break in?

    Look I don’t want to be bothered. It’s my problem if my house isn’t secure. And, that is not a problem with me. My windows and doors are always locked and my alarm on when I’m not home. When I am home the garage door is always down and locked and the only doors open are the ones to my backyard which is surrounted by an 8 foot privacy fence on top of a 3 foot retaining wall with a locking gate that opens out so it can’t be kicked in.