"We've broken into your car and stolen your stuff to teach you about theft. — London Police"

In a renewed effort to both drive home their anti-theft message and the idea that Britain is turning ever more into the Orwellian state it's so intent on becoming lately, London cops have taken things even further than before by entering unlocked vehicles, stealing taking personal items of value (laptops, coats, whatever) found inside, and then leaving pleasant little notes informing the the vehicles' owners when they return that they can retrieve their stolen taken possessions at the local police precinct.

The initiative has been launched in an area where theft from cars has been rife.

"We have had a bit problem with thefts from cars, so we decided to be a bit more innovative," said Superintendent Jim Davis, the officer behind the initiative.

If items are needed urgently, police will return the goods immediately.

"We want to stop people from being the victims of crime," he said. "We are not talking about £3 in loose change in the glove compartment, we are talking about cameras, laptops and expensive leather jackets. People would be far more upset if their property really was stolen."

Be that as it may, I still think they might wanna start gearing up to face several rather pissed victims beneficiaries of these "anti-theft thefts". The point is still that people's cars were broken into and they stuff was taken; even if it's the cops who've taken them, it's still a bloody waste of time to get them back, is it not?

I'd also point out their wording when they said that "if the items are needed urgently, police will return the goods immediately". How nice – but not so much for those who don't need their goods "urgently", I suppose. They'll just have to sit in the waiting room and twiddle their thumbs before cops deign to hand their stuff back to them, then?

Whatever they're trying to achieve, I do think there are likely more efficient – not to mention, ethical – methods of sending their message home than to take people's belongings and forcing them to spend hours to get them back. Some of those people actually do have lives, you know.

(via The Agitator)

Technorati tags: london · police · law enforcement · anti-theft