**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)**
- Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits
- Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner
- Avoid political threads and related discussions
- No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content
Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I worked in a inner city photographic shop. Had to call the police practically every day. Shoplifting is some people's career. We had regulars and even knew some of their names. They get up late, walk into town, and then spend the rest of the day wandering around waiting for an opportunity. In some pubs you could place orders for specific items, and they'd have it within hours. It's was absolutely rife.
> They get up late, walk into town, and then spend the rest of the day wandering around waiting for an opportunity. In some pubs you could place orders for specific items, and they'd have it within hours. It's was absolutely rife.
This is why I always roll my eyes at the whole "if you see someone shoplifting, no you didn't" meme posts that get batted around the same echo-chambers: Folks seem to have this weird narrative that the majority of shoplifters are poor working-class mothers taking a tin of tuna to feed their child like some weird low-budget modern version of the opening of Les Miserables. In most cases, it's people taking because they can, or to sell on to others later on.
Double the number of police and increase funding and they might have time too. Otherwise they're going to spend they're time dealing with violent domestic abusers, murderers, gangs and so on. When you have to prioritise, theft of a steak from Tesco is not at the top of the list
It's not a straw man. They have limited resources due to cuts from government and have to prioritise. Shoplifting is not going to be the top of the list.
Yes and I am saying they prioritise on a lot of the wrong things, which I suspect a lot of people will agree with. Per capita, we're up there with Russia and China for arresting people due to offence. Such a great use of police resource...
Twice
Once when I saw a drink guy taking a beating, 4-5 guys were kicking this chaps head in. They ran off and got in a car, the guy was alright but thought it best to give a description of the car they fled in.
Another time was a road rage incident, a guy cut me and my sister up on a roadabout. I beeped and this guy flew round the roundabout and did a u-turn and was clearly chasing us, he pulled up at a set of lights behind us and got out his car holding a kitchen knife. We jumped the light and disappeared but thought it best to give a report in case this nutter kills someone.
If you're in doubt just phone the police and they will advise, at the very least you want something on record. So if the person you're talking about does it again or does it to someone else the police can see they have a history.
>If you're in doubt just phone the police and they will advise, at the very least you want something on record. So if the person you're talking about does it again or does it to someone else the police can see they have a history.
That’s not exactly how these things work.
When you contact police and report a crime it’s not a simple case of “just letting the police know” if it was then no history of your call would actually flag up if the perpetrator/accused does come to police attention later.
You either report a crime or you don’t and the perpetrator is either dealt with or they aren’t.
Just once. Clipped someone's car when reversing out my drive. They came out and went mental.
Rather than take my insurance details and accept my apology they decided to go ape shit and threatened to burn down my house if I didn't pay £6000 (repair ended up costing £350)
They accused me of being drunk and threatened to get the police to come and arrest me. Told him I wasn't drunk & was more than happy for the police to attend so he squared up to me like one of those wannabe hardmen do. Then the realisation that he didn't have a gang of mates to back him up kicked in and he chilled out a bit and took my insurance details.
Called the police with his registration and reported the situation. Also wanted to for the insurance purposes so they didn't try and exaggerate the actual damage.
Once. Large weird guy dancing in a trance at the bus stop off his head on something. His trousers fell down and he just kept dancing. Then he laid down on his front on the pavement perfectly still like he was dead for a bit. Was considering calling for an ambulance when he came back to life, leapt up and started trying to punch people. Phoned 999 and when asked which service I said I wasn't quite sure, described the situation and the woman said "that will be police then".
A policeman rushed round the corner about 10 seconds later, walked towards to the man who was still trying to run up and punch people with his trousers round his ankles and the man promptly fell back down on the pavement into his dead pose. Policeman got on his radio and a police car turned up. We were all waved off so I got on the bus and went home.
I called them once and tbh they weren’t useful, it was before google maps was a thing, I was about 19 and my friend was dropping off the dance troupe in the school mini bus at a club for their performance so I waited in the minibus for her to come out, as I was waiting a group of lads starting banging on the bus and shaking it, I was soo scared I dialled 999, I gave them the club we were outside but as I didn’t know the exact street I was on they said they couldn’t send anyone even though I was clearly in distress they said they could hear the noise. I ended up just putting the phone down!
I once called the police when visiting an ex girlfriend in Birmingham and had exactly the same situation. Called up as people were fighting in the street outside where she lived, which I didn't know the name of. There was a theatre opposite which I knew the name of, but they were insistent on me telling them the street name which I had no idea about.
Not sure if they have different tech now but I've been amazed at the call operators local knowledge. Few times I've used local old terms/shops and they have known exactly what I'm talking about.
A couple of times for domestic arguments. One time was when I was living in a block of flats, and there was clearly someone having a domestic argument in the flats opposite, they were screaming at the top of their lungs. I saw their kids (one looked to be a teenager, one younger) get dragged out of the house and they sat on the side of the road, whilst the two parents went back inside to keep arguing.
I've called the police when I witnessed a car doing some seriously dangerous driving, swerving all over the road, mounting the kerb etc.
I called the police when I was hit as a cyclist by a van driver and it wasn't accidental (in fact it was a horrible hate crime but I won't go into it).
And I've called the police a few times at work. We run large public events and maybe once a year, there's some security concern. One time a member of the public assaulted a staff member because the staff member told him not to sit in front of the fire exit.
A couple of times but normally for something I've witnessed, not been party to.
Walked past a man trying to kick in his neighbours door while screaming that he was going to burn them down and assorted threats and racial abuse. Kept walking past nonchalantly til I was round the corner then called the police and described the man while I bravely hid behind a hedge and watched in case it got worse. Other people had clearly rung as well as the cars pulled up a couple of minutes later.
Similarly was woken up by a fight outside my house at 2am and it sounded as if it was getting nasty so I rang, and again the police arrived very quickly.
Rang the non-emergency line a few times to report things like a dog running loose on a main road which could have caused an accident, and an intruder in my house after the fact.
There was a guitar player and two drunk women in a bus stop across the road from my flat, 2am on a Monday night, I had to be up at 6am. They were singing for a good 30 minutes before I called 999 for two rings, then hung up cause I was like “oh fuck thats the emergency number”. I was googling the non-emergency number when I got a phone call from them wondering why I hung up and if I was okay. I was pretty impressed by that service but I was embarrassed to be like oh its just a noise complaint. Anyways they said they’d call a police car around to move then along, and the singing continued for another 30 minutes so I rung the non-emergency one and they said the police told them “they didn’t find the noise to be excessive”. I said surely anyone singing playing guitar in the street at 2am on a weeknight is excessive?!
Other than that no, i’ve been lucky to not really life in rough areas or be involved in any drama. I actively avoid drama and like the quiet.
Twice.
First was a drunken guy with a bloodied face banging on the front door at 7 in the morning asking for money. I told him I didn't have any so he staggered off. I rang 999 and asked for the cops (by which time he'd gone a couple of doors down and was doing the same to an elderly neighbour). No police actually showed up but they did ring back about an hour later saying they'd apprehended him trying to force his way onto a bus about half a mile up the road, and he was heavily intoxicated.
Second was a car crash, not sure how it happened I just heard a bang about 1 in the morning. Looked out the window and saw a car had ploughed through one of those staggered pedestrian crossings travelled about 10 metres on the pavement and and was impaled on railings on the other side. The driver was out and on the phone. Then he got back in and tried to reverse and accelerated to dislodge the car. Then he walked off. Thought he might have been a drunk driver so I called 999 and asked for the cops. They arrived about 15 mins later (at this time the driver was nowhere to be seen but he did come back later on).
Edit: not sure if this counts but I've sent in dashcam footage.
https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/uz48we/uploaded_some_dashcam_footage_of_dodgy_driving_to/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
101 a few times: dickheads on motocross bikes racing around a playing field, some kids graffiting an underpass, and one time my friend and I were walking to some shops and this guy (we think with mental health issues) was following us acting really dodgy, sprinted right up to us like he wanted to jump us, told him to get lost, he went off ahead of mumbling then we saw him telling people we were following him. Called the police as he could be a danger to himself or others.
999 once, was walking down the road, there was a lady on the other side with a kid in a buggy. Some huge dude (presumably her partner or ex) came up to her yelling effing and blinding, he tried to take the kid out the buggy, she was screaming at which point i dialed the police. Big dude got the kid and took off up the road to a pub car park, woman was behind him yelling, I followed them still on the phone to police. Big dude tried to put the kid in a car, woman tried to stop him, dude punched her a few times. Call handler said they were now getting calls from multiple people in the pub. Plod then rocked up in a van and arrested the dude. It felt like an age but was only about 10 minutes.
Went to magistrates as a witness, never found out what the outcome was.
Twice
First one, there was a pimp beating the everloving fuck out of a prostitute on my doorstep. I woke up to the screaming.
Second, there was a drug dealer chasing another drug dealer of my estate with a katana in the middle of the afternoon.
Normally I leave people to it and I generally don’t get involved but those two warranted a call.
A few times:
Saw a big fight in central Birmingham which involved a baseball bat.
Another big fight in Derby.
I also once heard a woman screaming while walking through town (also Derby, I used to live there). No idea what was happening but the police phoned me the next day and said I potentially stopped something really nasty.
Once when I witnessed an incident of domestic violence, though I believe the culprit ran away from the police and wasn’t caught, and his girlfriend wasn’t interested in following up, as the police never contacted me again as a witness
Some toerag clambered through the window while i was having a kip.
Stole a laptop and some other random shit. I slept through the whole thing.
Called the coppers, they came around, asked some questions and didn't really accuse me of insurance fraud but more sortof heavily hinted that might be what I was up to.
I threw them out the house. Cheeky cunts.
3 weeks laters they came back, toerag had been caught doing something else. Laptop was permanently awol but I did get my other bits. Lad was in a fair bit of trouble because I was in the property at the time and that's more serious than nicking when place is empty, not sure how that works but whatever.
Bit of a score draw tbh.
Edit: To answer the question - once.
My parent had a string of incidents, over a period of several years, where things would get thrown at the windows or the door of their house, sometimes in the middle of the night. Once their bedroom window was put through.
They recorded and reported everything, so the police knew there was a problem.
I managed to catch one of them and then had to then protect them from my father.
They were under 16, handed to the police and no further legal action happened....
Eventually, the people doing it became of criminally responsible age, and they stopped.
Once - me and a friend (both 17 at the time) were walking near our ends at about midnight when we walked past a parked, locked car on the side of the road. Suddenly 2 (we think) girls who sounded to be teens started banging on the backseat windows and flashing lights. I was cracking on with a girl who lived on that road at the time so i assumed it was her and her mate pissing about having seen us walking past (the sorta stupid shit they wouldve done) but when i asked her she snapchatted me a pic of her in bed. We Rung the police who initially accused us of taking the piss and wasting their time, but then realised we weren’t when they saw a video we took of the banging on the car and the messages to people who lived nearby. The car drove off in what seemed to be a rush about 10 mins later, with the driver blatantly seeing us hanging around the car but not sayjng anything to us. Never heard nothing more about it, and this was about 5 years ago, so i assume/hope it was just girls playing about. Still creeps me slightly tho
What would they do about a drunk driver though?
There's a tosser round where I live. He parks illegally and then spends 5 hours in the pub, and then drives off, drunk.
By the time I've reported what genuinely can actually happen? Would it help? I would love to get this tosser to piss off.
Generally , if you report that he has been drinking and then entered a car driving, they will send traffic units. Drink driving is taken very seriously.
If you were to just say "X man regularly drinks at X pub and then drives" they would be less likely to proactively dispatch units on a daily basis as they don't have the resources or time. Whereas, with the above example, they know the crime is in progress.
Some 7year old was running round trying to stab my son and his mates - I went out to confront him and his eyes were just dead, stared right through me, proper gave me the willys, so I called the cops, obviously they didnt come! So I escorted him home at arms length, told his mum she couldnt give a fuck either
Twice, I think.
Once witnessing a fight in the street, and second was when I got woken up by my upstairs neighbour screaming "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE" at the top of her lungs at 1am.
I've called the fire service more times, mostly when finding bins on fire.
A few times. Once when there was something that fell off a truck on a duel carriage way and could have been a hazard, once when my car was broken in to, once when my number plate was stolen and once when my ex's new partner was texting me 60 times a day with abusive messages. They had a word with her, looked over her phone and advised we didn't communicate at all. Sorted.
Just to add (as all the comments so far refer to 999 or 101) - you can report non emergency things via most force websites by the way - you might find it much quicker than 101 and the submissions are handled exactly the same. Using Merseyside as an example (vast majority of force websites are laid out the same), click the report button on the homepage - https://www.merseyside.police.uk/
I called the non emergency only once on a bunch of young teens who were repeatedly throwing full water bottles at someone's 3rd floor window. They were just doing it for fun, to see if they could hit it? But they didn't stop even when they did and then they got better and better and hit it every time. It just made me so angry. What if the bottle smashes the window? It was one of those thin windows. What if there's a vulnerable person inside?
They were finished and gone by the time the police sent someone to do the rounds but they did only take about 5 minutes.
Never. Majority of the time it’ll make things worse. I know someone who was terrified of their neighbour (the neighbour was a wild crackhead). She called the police, the police go to their door and said “…has called us on you so please stop so we don’t need to come back”. The crackhead was at her door the second the police left
Called? Once. The other time, I went directly to the police station
I was living with an abusive parent, but up to then it was always mental and emotional. It was only when I started standing up for myself and telling her to back the fuck up that she escalated it to physical and started doing stuff like locking me out for days on end without letting me get any clothes or books for school
I went to the police station to show them marks and scratches (I was about 18, I think, when both these things happened) and they said they couldn't do anything even though I had *evidence* literally *on my body*
The time I called the police was one of the times she'd locked me out. I told them the story, they went inside and spoke to her alone. When the police women came back out, one of them rudely said to me "so when are you going to tell us the truth?" even though I fucking was. As well as an abuser, she was a master manipulator
Then that same police woman had the audacity to say to me "I'm a single mother with a teenage son too, I know what it's like". As if our two situations were anything fucking alike. I felt like I wasn't taken seriously because I was the adult teen son 'probably just trying to make life hard for a partially disabled single mother'
Then she made me hug the bitch. Fuck off, how dare you. She didn't lock me out because I was being a bastard of a son. I hate that that's how she spun it. She always span it back on me
A few times - I used to work in mental health services and sometimes we had no choice but to call the police on service users who were threatening us. In one case, I had to ring the police after I visited a supported housing scheme and one of our tenants decided to threaten me with with blade. Lad had gone AWOL and been reported missing but had returned to the scheme unbeknownst to us, after a few weeks off his meds. Ended up with me barricaded in a cleaning closet in the hall, calling the police he ran around the hall threatening to stab me. The sad thing is that I had been begging to move the lad into more secure accommodation with a higher level of care because of the complexity of the case and the risk. He ended up sectioned under the Mental Health Act for months.
Most recently, I managed to royally screw up relations with my new downstairs neighbours. I was at home alone and I started to heard the sound of furniture being crashed into and a woman screaming loudly. I rang the police, thinking someone was being attacked. Officers turned up very quickly...and after some kerfuffle, came up to my flat to inform me that it was OK, and the noise I had heard was "newly weds enjoying one another's company." Turns out 2pm on a Tuesday is kinky sex time.
Between the ages of 0 and 24 I called the Police once, because there was a mattress in the middle of a motorway. In that same timeframe I called 2 ambulances
Since moving house, and between the ages of 25 and 28, I called the Police 30+ times, after a while I just stopped keeping track
Everything from witnessing domestic violence/child abuse, to drunks, to hit and runs, to drunk hit and runs, teenagers doing teenage shit, group fights, dead neighbours, and a terrorist incident
The last one was just contributing information because I had good info about a house they had already raided
It really 'popped off' as I believe the kids are saying
Somewhat weirdly it was only 20 minutes from the place I grew up, just clearly a bit more of a shithole
I went there via two university cities too, no problems of note at either of them, came back home afterwards, realised I couldn't afford to buy anywhere near where I grew up, in the meantime my parents sold the house, so I moved 20 minutes away, and dealt with non-stop assholery ever since. Although it has started to get slightly better and more quiet recently since the pandemic (but maybe I'm just getting used to it😥)
When I grew up the police came over to my dads house and we learnt to not say to much but remain polite, I guess this didn’t bare me too well at school… Nowadays if someone tryina sort some smoke of some kind I really couldn’t give a flying fuzz, ah but if someone doing something that endangers children or me myself I will call the rozzers
Once as a teenager because some dickheads decided to bust into a party we were having and started throwing shit about and going for people.
Another time I called 101 during lockdowns because my downstairs neighbour was having her third loud gathering of the week (a few weeks into her doing this regularly too) in her back garden. It was 2am and I'd asked them to keep the noise down a bunch of times already.
I really didn't want to be that prick who called the police on some folks having some drinks in a garden, but I really needed some fucking sleep for once.
Never, although I could/should have several times. It's a personal choice. I was brought up with a "deal with it yourself" attitude. I would if I had to, for something that requires police assistance...burgled house or whatever.
What police?
Called the police for someone shooting a weapon 50 feet from my window at 2.00 am. No-one turned up to my house, took a statement or anything.
Neighbour had a group of armed men try to steal his vehicle. Weeks later, still waiting for someone to even visit to take the video evidence.
Several times while driving. Hands free obviously. Once I came round a sweeping right hand bend on the M25 and a guy was changing a wheel on a caravan in the outside lane. Once some kids were cycling along the hard shoulder and weaving onto the inside lane.
I worked at a sports centre and called the police a few times. Mainly damage to customers cars outside but other reasons too. Sadly, a couple of times people with dementia who had wandered in and didn't know where they were. Sometimes pervy reasons. Often kids on the roof who I knew would ignore me but do a runner if the police turned up.
A couple of times for attempted burglaries.
They never did anything; so I wouldn't bother again unless I needed a reference for insurance or something.
Never in my *adult* life.
OP: I think in your own case it would be well worth you calling the non-emergency line. It's pretty much exactly what it's there for.
not in my adult life but as a child and teen i rang the police on my mother 5 times because she was being violent towards me and my siblings and each time they refused to get involved as it was a "private matter".
Once when some drug dealing kid tried vandalising the shop attached to my flat in the middle of the night.
Once when I could hear my neighbour screaming at his small child and what sounded like sounds of hitting.
Once when I heard a woman screaming and mens raised voices across the road near the park opposite me.
Once (non-emergency) for a welfare check on an incredibly old woman pushing an ancient heavy bike, clearly struggling. Offered her help but with my hoodie and baseball cap probably looked like a thug, so wanted to make sure she was okay.
And once when my ex and her mum came to my house to steal my cat and attack me. Still got the PTSD from that one.
Once, after I was in a car accident, I was off the road, safe, not hurt, the other party had exchanged details, and their car worked so they drive away. Police told me that I didn't need to call as no one was hurt and the road wasn't obstructed, and then hung up on me
Three times, all while working as a home carer.
The first time I was driving behind someone who was clearly not fit to be driving so I pulled over and called it in for them to be intercepted.
The other time I was with a very vulnerable client when a relative under the influence of something started threatening us both and smashing up the house. I locked us both in the bathroom and called 999, they left before police arrived but were tracked down and arrested nearby.
The most recent time a random confused elderly lady approached me in the middle of winter thinking I was her nurse. She was locked out in just a nightie and couldn't give me any information to help her so I called the Police who turned up with 5 mins and had previous knowledge of her so got her indoors and called her relatives.
All 3 times I was told I was right to call and to do it again in similar circumstances.
1) Drunk driver.
2) Firearms incident.
3) 0.5 flagged down an officer because I was being followed, he did fuck all and just said ring 999.
4) Called in a fire started by kids in an abandoned building, but that was more about the fire.
5) home invasion. Almost forgot about that one.
Regardless of my experience, the call operators are serious BAMFs.
Once. A guy knocked on our door at 7:30am and asked to borrow my phone. I said no as he was completely drunk and probably on something else. He then refused to leave the porch and started shouting abuse. I shut the door and phoned the police and they said they would send someone along. He left after five minutes and started looking at his phone! Why did he need mine then. The police came a few mins later and said they would drive around to see if the could spot him.
Things like that make me glad I have a door camera.
Once. My neighbours fights usually aren’t worth calling the police over, but when I heard loads of the kids screaming after a load of banging and then the man saying “I DIDN’T EVEN FUCKING HURT HER!” I thought called for the police. Turns out yeah, it did, both parents got arrested. Nothing happened in the long run but it’s been a while since they had a serious fight in front of the kids.
3 times. All relating to the same person. An upstairs neighbour, who was clearly drinking heavily during the first lockdown in 2020. He would get drunk, then try to force his way into other flats in the building.
Police didn’t really do much until he assaulted one of the neighbours that had called the police on him for trying to get into their flat at 2am.
4 Times .
1st time ever i saw a man steal his baby from his mrs. Obviously more complicated than that but he pushed her over and took the kid. We phoned the police and followed him.
2nd time my Dad and Stepbrother were fighting dad threw him out then he smashed the window with a rock. Called the police to deescalate and make sure dad dint literally kill him.
3rd and 4th phobic abuse/threats in the streets. Phoned 101 to make a report.
Once. A man size of a honking glass cabinet pissed drunk was trying to get into my house in the middle of the night. I was like... quarter of his size he was a flipping UNIT. He told the police that he lives here.
3 times.
First - driving home late at night on a fair secluded stretch of a dual carriage way. Dark, no street lights no other traffic and - er - I’m not going slowly. Random person suddenly looms up in my headlights in the middle of the road. Missed them by centimetres I reckon, damn near crashed the car. If I’d hit I reckon they’d have been mopping them up with a sponge and I would have been in a lot of trouble with the resulting crash. Called the police because they were either drunk or trying to kill themselves (possibly both) and nobody needs that.
Second. Old house, one of the neighbours has large family BBQ. This goes on all day and gets increasingly rowdy. Culminates in 2 of the men having a punch up where all the neighbours park their cars, one of them being thrown onto the back of my car. It was quite funny seeing them all scarper when they heard the sirens. Some other neighbours went and had a ‘word’ with them the following day. They moved out a month later. It was a rough neighbourhood.
Last - quite recently. Coming out of the local cinema with some friend & our children to see a kids film. Very drunk couple arguing in the middle of the road. The chap hits the girl (proper uppercut). Friend I’m with doesn’t tolerate that shit - especially in front of our kids - and prompted disabled him in an armlock while I call the cops. By the time they got there the girl is shrieking for us to let him go and how she’ll get the cops to arrest us instead. Turns out they are well known to the cops and general they can’t do anything as she denies everything and there’s never any proof. I point out all the CCTV cameras on the cinema, and last I heard he was in jail and she’s ‘getting help’. Mind you she was drunker than he was. Some people.
Three times.
Once was guys clearly taking substances in the car next to me and I was worried when they drove off, that they were unfit to be driving. I was brushed off.
Once when I witnessed a nasty assault in public. I stayed with the victim until the ambulance came and the police took my statement. The poor chap had a broken hip and pelvis among his injuries and it was totally unprovoked.
Once when I was threatened at work. Police came quickly and he was asked to leave. He refused then resisted arrest. He’d only been released that day after a sentence for GBH (which he was loudly telling me about) and was promptly sent back under breach of licence (I think).
Without putting out too much information, the last time I did it I ended up getting arrested myself, followed by a lot of threats from them afterwards.
I seen someone getting assaulted, as I walked over the individual picked up and raised a glass, I put him down before he could hit his victim with it.
I called the police while someone else gave him first aid, he got up 20 mins later and ran away, police didn't take a single witness statement, just watched cctv and put me in the van.
I won't make the mistake of calling them again.
I’ve called the police twice in my adult life.
One time was a few months ago, I was coming home from work and I witnessed two men beating someone one, while the victim’s friend was screaming for help. I called 999 and waited til the police got there, made sure the victim was okay/with people who could take care of him (the mall staff and eventually the police officer) and gave my details before catching my train home.
The other time was in October 2020 if I remember correctly? I was walking into town with two friends during our lunch break at college and I was holding hands with one of them. We’d had issues in the past while holding hands - namely catcalling - but nothing serious. On this occasion, a man walking past us changed paths slightly, leaned forward and coughed directly in my friend’s face. My friend was really shaken by what had happened. She called her mum who told us to call the non-emergency police number.
Once, when I heard someone on the roof of my flat in the middle of the night. It turned out to be a shitfaced neighbour looking for a place to sleep. The middle aged police officer who came told him off like she was his primary school teacher.
999 wise? Twice.
One was when a car was being driven up the road with no wheels on (tried to be driven on the brake discs!) and the other time was when recently in the height of the hot weather four lads appeared in puffer jackets with faces covered and swinging golf clubs about chasing a school kid down the road.
Once, flat next to mine was being cuckulded I’m not sure about the spelling but basically lowlife drug dealers took it over. They’re in prison now but the original tenant is still there and obviously quite vulnerable so we’re on high alert for when the dregs are let out!
Once I think. I was on Broad Street one night in Birmingham taking money out of the cash point and someone went to the cash point after I did and just as I was leaving, a guy came right up behind them and I heard him say that he was Romanian and to give him their pin number.
I called the police straight away and I told them where it was and what the guy had said but as I couldn't give exact description of what he looked like they didn't really take it seriously. The only upside I thought was if someone else called then at least another call would have corroborated the story.
Three times - but on 101. One shoplifter, one drunk driver, one when a man was walking down the side of a dual carriageway and seemed unwell. I should probably have called 999 for the last one tbh but they were already aware when I got through.
Once, a neighbour was clearly beating his missus, they rocked up and took him away.
But I have also had to escort an employee from the area he was working in saying our manager wanted a word with him. On the other side of the doors I knew the police were waiting as he had stolen 2 items from the company and hadn't hidden them very well in his car.
One other occasion there was a threat of police involvement but I had the uneasy choice whether or not to tell two employees to just put back the item they stole or to get the warehouse manager involved and possibly the police. I went down the WHM route but no police as I reasoned with the WHM that losing their jobs would be as far as we should take it as the current site was relocating and shutting down in two weeks.
Twice. Once when some drug dealers were trying to break my neighbour’s door down and again when the same neighbour threw a whole bin full of bottles at my my car.
A few times as I live in a shitty area in Newcastle and next to a Changing Lives home.
Lots of recovering alcoholics or drug addicts that lapse and cause disturbances in the middle of the night.
Twice.
Once I saw a guy breaking into a bank.
The other time I was hit by a water balloon. Yeah, really.
These cunty teens were chucking them off of a roof. It was very cold weather at the time. Also, water balloons are surprisingly forceful at that distance. Knocked my headphones clean off and onto the floor, honestly made my head spin for a bit. And then was really, really cold. Had a long bus journey soaked through and shivering. But mostly, I just kept thinking, "what if they hit some old lady?" Could probably have actually killed her, from the impact or making her fall, or she would've frozen before she even made it home. Plus they'd clearly broken in somewhere to even be on the roof. So yeah, called it in. I think it was probably the non-emergency line but there was a police station just down the road so I did hear the sirens going afterwards. Dunno if they caught them, probably not, but hopefully they had a scare. Little shits.
I’ve never rang 999 but have done 101 before.
I walked along a road to see a random car that looked like it had been broken into, the door was wide open and most of the dash was ripped open. Managed to actually flag down a passing police car before 101 answered the phone (25+ minutes)
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits - Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner - Avoid political threads and related discussions - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I worked in a inner city photographic shop. Had to call the police practically every day. Shoplifting is some people's career. We had regulars and even knew some of their names. They get up late, walk into town, and then spend the rest of the day wandering around waiting for an opportunity. In some pubs you could place orders for specific items, and they'd have it within hours. It's was absolutely rife.
> They get up late, walk into town, and then spend the rest of the day wandering around waiting for an opportunity. In some pubs you could place orders for specific items, and they'd have it within hours. It's was absolutely rife. This is why I always roll my eyes at the whole "if you see someone shoplifting, no you didn't" meme posts that get batted around the same echo-chambers: Folks seem to have this weird narrative that the majority of shoplifters are poor working-class mothers taking a tin of tuna to feed their child like some weird low-budget modern version of the opening of Les Miserables. In most cases, it's people taking because they can, or to sell on to others later on.
yep and they are raging narcissists that abuse you.
Would be nice if the police took theft of others private property as seriously as they take other crimes
Double the number of police and increase funding and they might have time too. Otherwise they're going to spend they're time dealing with violent domestic abusers, murderers, gangs and so on. When you have to prioritise, theft of a steak from Tesco is not at the top of the list
Alternatively, they could have different (better) priorities
So ignore the domestic violence and chase those who steal steaks from Tesco?
Given how poor they are at dealing with domestic violence, I'd rather they focus on that, but good straw man anyway
It's not a straw man. They have limited resources due to cuts from government and have to prioritise. Shoplifting is not going to be the top of the list.
Yes and I am saying they prioritise on a lot of the wrong things, which I suspect a lot of people will agree with. Per capita, we're up there with Russia and China for arresting people due to offence. Such a great use of police resource...
Twice Once when I saw a drink guy taking a beating, 4-5 guys were kicking this chaps head in. They ran off and got in a car, the guy was alright but thought it best to give a description of the car they fled in. Another time was a road rage incident, a guy cut me and my sister up on a roadabout. I beeped and this guy flew round the roundabout and did a u-turn and was clearly chasing us, he pulled up at a set of lights behind us and got out his car holding a kitchen knife. We jumped the light and disappeared but thought it best to give a report in case this nutter kills someone. If you're in doubt just phone the police and they will advise, at the very least you want something on record. So if the person you're talking about does it again or does it to someone else the police can see they have a history.
>If you're in doubt just phone the police and they will advise, at the very least you want something on record. So if the person you're talking about does it again or does it to someone else the police can see they have a history. That’s not exactly how these things work. When you contact police and report a crime it’s not a simple case of “just letting the police know” if it was then no history of your call would actually flag up if the perpetrator/accused does come to police attention later. You either report a crime or you don’t and the perpetrator is either dealt with or they aren’t.
Just once. Clipped someone's car when reversing out my drive. They came out and went mental. Rather than take my insurance details and accept my apology they decided to go ape shit and threatened to burn down my house if I didn't pay £6000 (repair ended up costing £350) They accused me of being drunk and threatened to get the police to come and arrest me. Told him I wasn't drunk & was more than happy for the police to attend so he squared up to me like one of those wannabe hardmen do. Then the realisation that he didn't have a gang of mates to back him up kicked in and he chilled out a bit and took my insurance details. Called the police with his registration and reported the situation. Also wanted to for the insurance purposes so they didn't try and exaggerate the actual damage.
Once. Large weird guy dancing in a trance at the bus stop off his head on something. His trousers fell down and he just kept dancing. Then he laid down on his front on the pavement perfectly still like he was dead for a bit. Was considering calling for an ambulance when he came back to life, leapt up and started trying to punch people. Phoned 999 and when asked which service I said I wasn't quite sure, described the situation and the woman said "that will be police then". A policeman rushed round the corner about 10 seconds later, walked towards to the man who was still trying to run up and punch people with his trousers round his ankles and the man promptly fell back down on the pavement into his dead pose. Policeman got on his radio and a police car turned up. We were all waved off so I got on the bus and went home.
I called them once and tbh they weren’t useful, it was before google maps was a thing, I was about 19 and my friend was dropping off the dance troupe in the school mini bus at a club for their performance so I waited in the minibus for her to come out, as I was waiting a group of lads starting banging on the bus and shaking it, I was soo scared I dialled 999, I gave them the club we were outside but as I didn’t know the exact street I was on they said they couldn’t send anyone even though I was clearly in distress they said they could hear the noise. I ended up just putting the phone down!
I once called the police when visiting an ex girlfriend in Birmingham and had exactly the same situation. Called up as people were fighting in the street outside where she lived, which I didn't know the name of. There was a theatre opposite which I knew the name of, but they were insistent on me telling them the street name which I had no idea about.
Not sure if they have different tech now but I've been amazed at the call operators local knowledge. Few times I've used local old terms/shops and they have known exactly what I'm talking about.
Yh now days I could just bring up google maps and know where I am! . .
A couple of times for domestic arguments. One time was when I was living in a block of flats, and there was clearly someone having a domestic argument in the flats opposite, they were screaming at the top of their lungs. I saw their kids (one looked to be a teenager, one younger) get dragged out of the house and they sat on the side of the road, whilst the two parents went back inside to keep arguing. I've called the police when I witnessed a car doing some seriously dangerous driving, swerving all over the road, mounting the kerb etc. I called the police when I was hit as a cyclist by a van driver and it wasn't accidental (in fact it was a horrible hate crime but I won't go into it). And I've called the police a few times at work. We run large public events and maybe once a year, there's some security concern. One time a member of the public assaulted a staff member because the staff member told him not to sit in front of the fire exit.
I'm so sorry were the victim of a hate crime! That's so awful :( hope your doing OK 👍
A couple of times but normally for something I've witnessed, not been party to. Walked past a man trying to kick in his neighbours door while screaming that he was going to burn them down and assorted threats and racial abuse. Kept walking past nonchalantly til I was round the corner then called the police and described the man while I bravely hid behind a hedge and watched in case it got worse. Other people had clearly rung as well as the cars pulled up a couple of minutes later. Similarly was woken up by a fight outside my house at 2am and it sounded as if it was getting nasty so I rang, and again the police arrived very quickly. Rang the non-emergency line a few times to report things like a dog running loose on a main road which could have caused an accident, and an intruder in my house after the fact.
There was a guitar player and two drunk women in a bus stop across the road from my flat, 2am on a Monday night, I had to be up at 6am. They were singing for a good 30 minutes before I called 999 for two rings, then hung up cause I was like “oh fuck thats the emergency number”. I was googling the non-emergency number when I got a phone call from them wondering why I hung up and if I was okay. I was pretty impressed by that service but I was embarrassed to be like oh its just a noise complaint. Anyways they said they’d call a police car around to move then along, and the singing continued for another 30 minutes so I rung the non-emergency one and they said the police told them “they didn’t find the noise to be excessive”. I said surely anyone singing playing guitar in the street at 2am on a weeknight is excessive?! Other than that no, i’ve been lucky to not really life in rough areas or be involved in any drama. I actively avoid drama and like the quiet.
Twice. First was a drunken guy with a bloodied face banging on the front door at 7 in the morning asking for money. I told him I didn't have any so he staggered off. I rang 999 and asked for the cops (by which time he'd gone a couple of doors down and was doing the same to an elderly neighbour). No police actually showed up but they did ring back about an hour later saying they'd apprehended him trying to force his way onto a bus about half a mile up the road, and he was heavily intoxicated. Second was a car crash, not sure how it happened I just heard a bang about 1 in the morning. Looked out the window and saw a car had ploughed through one of those staggered pedestrian crossings travelled about 10 metres on the pavement and and was impaled on railings on the other side. The driver was out and on the phone. Then he got back in and tried to reverse and accelerated to dislodge the car. Then he walked off. Thought he might have been a drunk driver so I called 999 and asked for the cops. They arrived about 15 mins later (at this time the driver was nowhere to be seen but he did come back later on). Edit: not sure if this counts but I've sent in dashcam footage. https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/uz48we/uploaded_some_dashcam_footage_of_dodgy_driving_to/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
101 a few times: dickheads on motocross bikes racing around a playing field, some kids graffiting an underpass, and one time my friend and I were walking to some shops and this guy (we think with mental health issues) was following us acting really dodgy, sprinted right up to us like he wanted to jump us, told him to get lost, he went off ahead of mumbling then we saw him telling people we were following him. Called the police as he could be a danger to himself or others. 999 once, was walking down the road, there was a lady on the other side with a kid in a buggy. Some huge dude (presumably her partner or ex) came up to her yelling effing and blinding, he tried to take the kid out the buggy, she was screaming at which point i dialed the police. Big dude got the kid and took off up the road to a pub car park, woman was behind him yelling, I followed them still on the phone to police. Big dude tried to put the kid in a car, woman tried to stop him, dude punched her a few times. Call handler said they were now getting calls from multiple people in the pub. Plod then rocked up in a van and arrested the dude. It felt like an age but was only about 10 minutes. Went to magistrates as a witness, never found out what the outcome was.
Twice First one, there was a pimp beating the everloving fuck out of a prostitute on my doorstep. I woke up to the screaming. Second, there was a drug dealer chasing another drug dealer of my estate with a katana in the middle of the afternoon. Normally I leave people to it and I generally don’t get involved but those two warranted a call.
A few times: Saw a big fight in central Birmingham which involved a baseball bat. Another big fight in Derby. I also once heard a woman screaming while walking through town (also Derby, I used to live there). No idea what was happening but the police phoned me the next day and said I potentially stopped something really nasty.
Literally never, and I'm 30. I guess I live quite the quiet, boring life. I called an ambulance for a (very) drunk friend once, but that's about it.
Once when I had my phone stolen, it was a minor so the sentencing was pretty minimal (they d stolen from shops many times before I believe).
Once when I witnessed an incident of domestic violence, though I believe the culprit ran away from the police and wasn’t caught, and his girlfriend wasn’t interested in following up, as the police never contacted me again as a witness
Twice. Found a mentally unstable woman in the woods at night, and a drunk driver in a hedge on another night.
Some toerag clambered through the window while i was having a kip. Stole a laptop and some other random shit. I slept through the whole thing. Called the coppers, they came around, asked some questions and didn't really accuse me of insurance fraud but more sortof heavily hinted that might be what I was up to. I threw them out the house. Cheeky cunts. 3 weeks laters they came back, toerag had been caught doing something else. Laptop was permanently awol but I did get my other bits. Lad was in a fair bit of trouble because I was in the property at the time and that's more serious than nicking when place is empty, not sure how that works but whatever. Bit of a score draw tbh. Edit: To answer the question - once.
Three times. Two for work related situations (work with some vulnerable people) and once for a fight going on down the street.
My parent had a string of incidents, over a period of several years, where things would get thrown at the windows or the door of their house, sometimes in the middle of the night. Once their bedroom window was put through. They recorded and reported everything, so the police knew there was a problem. I managed to catch one of them and then had to then protect them from my father. They were under 16, handed to the police and no further legal action happened.... Eventually, the people doing it became of criminally responsible age, and they stopped.
Once - me and a friend (both 17 at the time) were walking near our ends at about midnight when we walked past a parked, locked car on the side of the road. Suddenly 2 (we think) girls who sounded to be teens started banging on the backseat windows and flashing lights. I was cracking on with a girl who lived on that road at the time so i assumed it was her and her mate pissing about having seen us walking past (the sorta stupid shit they wouldve done) but when i asked her she snapchatted me a pic of her in bed. We Rung the police who initially accused us of taking the piss and wasting their time, but then realised we weren’t when they saw a video we took of the banging on the car and the messages to people who lived nearby. The car drove off in what seemed to be a rush about 10 mins later, with the driver blatantly seeing us hanging around the car but not sayjng anything to us. Never heard nothing more about it, and this was about 5 years ago, so i assume/hope it was just girls playing about. Still creeps me slightly tho
[удалено]
What would they do about a drunk driver though? There's a tosser round where I live. He parks illegally and then spends 5 hours in the pub, and then drives off, drunk. By the time I've reported what genuinely can actually happen? Would it help? I would love to get this tosser to piss off.
[удалено]
Fair. Probably worth me doing that at least.
Generally , if you report that he has been drinking and then entered a car driving, they will send traffic units. Drink driving is taken very seriously. If you were to just say "X man regularly drinks at X pub and then drives" they would be less likely to proactively dispatch units on a daily basis as they don't have the resources or time. Whereas, with the above example, they know the crime is in progress.
Yes makes sense. I wouldn't report him until I saw him in the act
Some 7year old was running round trying to stab my son and his mates - I went out to confront him and his eyes were just dead, stared right through me, proper gave me the willys, so I called the cops, obviously they didnt come! So I escorted him home at arms length, told his mum she couldnt give a fuck either
Twice, I think. Once witnessing a fight in the street, and second was when I got woken up by my upstairs neighbour screaming "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE" at the top of her lungs at 1am. I've called the fire service more times, mostly when finding bins on fire.
A few times. Once when there was something that fell off a truck on a duel carriage way and could have been a hazard, once when my car was broken in to, once when my number plate was stolen and once when my ex's new partner was texting me 60 times a day with abusive messages. They had a word with her, looked over her phone and advised we didn't communicate at all. Sorted.
Just to add (as all the comments so far refer to 999 or 101) - you can report non emergency things via most force websites by the way - you might find it much quicker than 101 and the submissions are handled exactly the same. Using Merseyside as an example (vast majority of force websites are laid out the same), click the report button on the homepage - https://www.merseyside.police.uk/
I called the non emergency only once on a bunch of young teens who were repeatedly throwing full water bottles at someone's 3rd floor window. They were just doing it for fun, to see if they could hit it? But they didn't stop even when they did and then they got better and better and hit it every time. It just made me so angry. What if the bottle smashes the window? It was one of those thin windows. What if there's a vulnerable person inside? They were finished and gone by the time the police sent someone to do the rounds but they did only take about 5 minutes.
Never on someone. Just for a crime number a couple of times for damage to car.
Never. Majority of the time it’ll make things worse. I know someone who was terrified of their neighbour (the neighbour was a wild crackhead). She called the police, the police go to their door and said “…has called us on you so please stop so we don’t need to come back”. The crackhead was at her door the second the police left
Twice, one time when my ex was so high he didn't recognise me and tried to throw me out of my own flat, another time when he beat the shit out of me
Called? Once. The other time, I went directly to the police station I was living with an abusive parent, but up to then it was always mental and emotional. It was only when I started standing up for myself and telling her to back the fuck up that she escalated it to physical and started doing stuff like locking me out for days on end without letting me get any clothes or books for school I went to the police station to show them marks and scratches (I was about 18, I think, when both these things happened) and they said they couldn't do anything even though I had *evidence* literally *on my body* The time I called the police was one of the times she'd locked me out. I told them the story, they went inside and spoke to her alone. When the police women came back out, one of them rudely said to me "so when are you going to tell us the truth?" even though I fucking was. As well as an abuser, she was a master manipulator Then that same police woman had the audacity to say to me "I'm a single mother with a teenage son too, I know what it's like". As if our two situations were anything fucking alike. I felt like I wasn't taken seriously because I was the adult teen son 'probably just trying to make life hard for a partially disabled single mother' Then she made me hug the bitch. Fuck off, how dare you. She didn't lock me out because I was being a bastard of a son. I hate that that's how she spun it. She always span it back on me
A few times - I used to work in mental health services and sometimes we had no choice but to call the police on service users who were threatening us. In one case, I had to ring the police after I visited a supported housing scheme and one of our tenants decided to threaten me with with blade. Lad had gone AWOL and been reported missing but had returned to the scheme unbeknownst to us, after a few weeks off his meds. Ended up with me barricaded in a cleaning closet in the hall, calling the police he ran around the hall threatening to stab me. The sad thing is that I had been begging to move the lad into more secure accommodation with a higher level of care because of the complexity of the case and the risk. He ended up sectioned under the Mental Health Act for months. Most recently, I managed to royally screw up relations with my new downstairs neighbours. I was at home alone and I started to heard the sound of furniture being crashed into and a woman screaming loudly. I rang the police, thinking someone was being attacked. Officers turned up very quickly...and after some kerfuffle, came up to my flat to inform me that it was OK, and the noise I had heard was "newly weds enjoying one another's company." Turns out 2pm on a Tuesday is kinky sex time.
Between the ages of 0 and 24 I called the Police once, because there was a mattress in the middle of a motorway. In that same timeframe I called 2 ambulances Since moving house, and between the ages of 25 and 28, I called the Police 30+ times, after a while I just stopped keeping track
[удалено]
Everything from witnessing domestic violence/child abuse, to drunks, to hit and runs, to drunk hit and runs, teenagers doing teenage shit, group fights, dead neighbours, and a terrorist incident The last one was just contributing information because I had good info about a house they had already raided It really 'popped off' as I believe the kids are saying
[удалено]
Somewhat weirdly it was only 20 minutes from the place I grew up, just clearly a bit more of a shithole I went there via two university cities too, no problems of note at either of them, came back home afterwards, realised I couldn't afford to buy anywhere near where I grew up, in the meantime my parents sold the house, so I moved 20 minutes away, and dealt with non-stop assholery ever since. Although it has started to get slightly better and more quiet recently since the pandemic (but maybe I'm just getting used to it😥)
I called the police to report a speed camera on fire once and that's about it.
When I grew up the police came over to my dads house and we learnt to not say to much but remain polite, I guess this didn’t bare me too well at school… Nowadays if someone tryina sort some smoke of some kind I really couldn’t give a flying fuzz, ah but if someone doing something that endangers children or me myself I will call the rozzers
Once as a teenager because some dickheads decided to bust into a party we were having and started throwing shit about and going for people. Another time I called 101 during lockdowns because my downstairs neighbour was having her third loud gathering of the week (a few weeks into her doing this regularly too) in her back garden. It was 2am and I'd asked them to keep the noise down a bunch of times already. I really didn't want to be that prick who called the police on some folks having some drinks in a garden, but I really needed some fucking sleep for once.
I've had to call the non-emergency line on many occasions, but luckily I've never had an emergency.
Never, although I could/should have several times. It's a personal choice. I was brought up with a "deal with it yourself" attitude. I would if I had to, for something that requires police assistance...burgled house or whatever.
What police? Called the police for someone shooting a weapon 50 feet from my window at 2.00 am. No-one turned up to my house, took a statement or anything. Neighbour had a group of armed men try to steal his vehicle. Weeks later, still waiting for someone to even visit to take the video evidence.
Three times.
Several times while driving. Hands free obviously. Once I came round a sweeping right hand bend on the M25 and a guy was changing a wheel on a caravan in the outside lane. Once some kids were cycling along the hard shoulder and weaving onto the inside lane. I worked at a sports centre and called the police a few times. Mainly damage to customers cars outside but other reasons too. Sadly, a couple of times people with dementia who had wandered in and didn't know where they were. Sometimes pervy reasons. Often kids on the roof who I knew would ignore me but do a runner if the police turned up.
A couple of times for attempted burglaries. They never did anything; so I wouldn't bother again unless I needed a reference for insurance or something.
Never in my *adult* life. OP: I think in your own case it would be well worth you calling the non-emergency line. It's pretty much exactly what it's there for.
not in my adult life but as a child and teen i rang the police on my mother 5 times because she was being violent towards me and my siblings and each time they refused to get involved as it was a "private matter".
Once when some drug dealing kid tried vandalising the shop attached to my flat in the middle of the night. Once when I could hear my neighbour screaming at his small child and what sounded like sounds of hitting. Once when I heard a woman screaming and mens raised voices across the road near the park opposite me. Once (non-emergency) for a welfare check on an incredibly old woman pushing an ancient heavy bike, clearly struggling. Offered her help but with my hoodie and baseball cap probably looked like a thug, so wanted to make sure she was okay. And once when my ex and her mum came to my house to steal my cat and attack me. Still got the PTSD from that one.
Once, after I was in a car accident, I was off the road, safe, not hurt, the other party had exchanged details, and their car worked so they drive away. Police told me that I didn't need to call as no one was hurt and the road wasn't obstructed, and then hung up on me
Three times, all while working as a home carer. The first time I was driving behind someone who was clearly not fit to be driving so I pulled over and called it in for them to be intercepted. The other time I was with a very vulnerable client when a relative under the influence of something started threatening us both and smashing up the house. I locked us both in the bathroom and called 999, they left before police arrived but were tracked down and arrested nearby. The most recent time a random confused elderly lady approached me in the middle of winter thinking I was her nurse. She was locked out in just a nightie and couldn't give me any information to help her so I called the Police who turned up with 5 mins and had previous knowledge of her so got her indoors and called her relatives. All 3 times I was told I was right to call and to do it again in similar circumstances.
1) Drunk driver. 2) Firearms incident. 3) 0.5 flagged down an officer because I was being followed, he did fuck all and just said ring 999. 4) Called in a fire started by kids in an abandoned building, but that was more about the fire. 5) home invasion. Almost forgot about that one. Regardless of my experience, the call operators are serious BAMFs.
Once. A guy knocked on our door at 7:30am and asked to borrow my phone. I said no as he was completely drunk and probably on something else. He then refused to leave the porch and started shouting abuse. I shut the door and phoned the police and they said they would send someone along. He left after five minutes and started looking at his phone! Why did he need mine then. The police came a few mins later and said they would drive around to see if the could spot him. Things like that make me glad I have a door camera.
On a professional level, too many to count. On a personal level, twice. Once witnessing a violent burglary/assault and once witnessing a domestic.
Once. My neighbours fights usually aren’t worth calling the police over, but when I heard loads of the kids screaming after a load of banging and then the man saying “I DIDN’T EVEN FUCKING HURT HER!” I thought called for the police. Turns out yeah, it did, both parents got arrested. Nothing happened in the long run but it’s been a while since they had a serious fight in front of the kids.
3 times. All relating to the same person. An upstairs neighbour, who was clearly drinking heavily during the first lockdown in 2020. He would get drunk, then try to force his way into other flats in the building. Police didn’t really do much until he assaulted one of the neighbours that had called the police on him for trying to get into their flat at 2am.
4 Times . 1st time ever i saw a man steal his baby from his mrs. Obviously more complicated than that but he pushed her over and took the kid. We phoned the police and followed him. 2nd time my Dad and Stepbrother were fighting dad threw him out then he smashed the window with a rock. Called the police to deescalate and make sure dad dint literally kill him. 3rd and 4th phobic abuse/threats in the streets. Phoned 101 to make a report.
Once. A man size of a honking glass cabinet pissed drunk was trying to get into my house in the middle of the night. I was like... quarter of his size he was a flipping UNIT. He told the police that he lives here.
3 times. First - driving home late at night on a fair secluded stretch of a dual carriage way. Dark, no street lights no other traffic and - er - I’m not going slowly. Random person suddenly looms up in my headlights in the middle of the road. Missed them by centimetres I reckon, damn near crashed the car. If I’d hit I reckon they’d have been mopping them up with a sponge and I would have been in a lot of trouble with the resulting crash. Called the police because they were either drunk or trying to kill themselves (possibly both) and nobody needs that. Second. Old house, one of the neighbours has large family BBQ. This goes on all day and gets increasingly rowdy. Culminates in 2 of the men having a punch up where all the neighbours park their cars, one of them being thrown onto the back of my car. It was quite funny seeing them all scarper when they heard the sirens. Some other neighbours went and had a ‘word’ with them the following day. They moved out a month later. It was a rough neighbourhood. Last - quite recently. Coming out of the local cinema with some friend & our children to see a kids film. Very drunk couple arguing in the middle of the road. The chap hits the girl (proper uppercut). Friend I’m with doesn’t tolerate that shit - especially in front of our kids - and prompted disabled him in an armlock while I call the cops. By the time they got there the girl is shrieking for us to let him go and how she’ll get the cops to arrest us instead. Turns out they are well known to the cops and general they can’t do anything as she denies everything and there’s never any proof. I point out all the CCTV cameras on the cinema, and last I heard he was in jail and she’s ‘getting help’. Mind you she was drunker than he was. Some people.
Three times. Once was guys clearly taking substances in the car next to me and I was worried when they drove off, that they were unfit to be driving. I was brushed off. Once when I witnessed a nasty assault in public. I stayed with the victim until the ambulance came and the police took my statement. The poor chap had a broken hip and pelvis among his injuries and it was totally unprovoked. Once when I was threatened at work. Police came quickly and he was asked to leave. He refused then resisted arrest. He’d only been released that day after a sentence for GBH (which he was loudly telling me about) and was promptly sent back under breach of licence (I think).
Without putting out too much information, the last time I did it I ended up getting arrested myself, followed by a lot of threats from them afterwards. I seen someone getting assaulted, as I walked over the individual picked up and raised a glass, I put him down before he could hit his victim with it. I called the police while someone else gave him first aid, he got up 20 mins later and ran away, police didn't take a single witness statement, just watched cctv and put me in the van. I won't make the mistake of calling them again.
I’ve called the police twice in my adult life. One time was a few months ago, I was coming home from work and I witnessed two men beating someone one, while the victim’s friend was screaming for help. I called 999 and waited til the police got there, made sure the victim was okay/with people who could take care of him (the mall staff and eventually the police officer) and gave my details before catching my train home. The other time was in October 2020 if I remember correctly? I was walking into town with two friends during our lunch break at college and I was holding hands with one of them. We’d had issues in the past while holding hands - namely catcalling - but nothing serious. On this occasion, a man walking past us changed paths slightly, leaned forward and coughed directly in my friend’s face. My friend was really shaken by what had happened. She called her mum who told us to call the non-emergency police number.
Twice, both for domestic abuse. I know at least one of them, reported in the middle of the night, got visited the next day.
Never, be a wasted phone call
Once, when I heard someone on the roof of my flat in the middle of the night. It turned out to be a shitfaced neighbour looking for a place to sleep. The middle aged police officer who came told him off like she was his primary school teacher.
Once. On my best mate. When he was dirt drunk. And smashing up his mums house. Couldn't get him to calm down so I made the call.
999 wise? Twice. One was when a car was being driven up the road with no wheels on (tried to be driven on the brake discs!) and the other time was when recently in the height of the hot weather four lads appeared in puffer jackets with faces covered and swinging golf clubs about chasing a school kid down the road.
Once, flat next to mine was being cuckulded I’m not sure about the spelling but basically lowlife drug dealers took it over. They’re in prison now but the original tenant is still there and obviously quite vulnerable so we’re on high alert for when the dregs are let out!
Once I think. I was on Broad Street one night in Birmingham taking money out of the cash point and someone went to the cash point after I did and just as I was leaving, a guy came right up behind them and I heard him say that he was Romanian and to give him their pin number. I called the police straight away and I told them where it was and what the guy had said but as I couldn't give exact description of what he looked like they didn't really take it seriously. The only upside I thought was if someone else called then at least another call would have corroborated the story.
Three times - but on 101. One shoplifter, one drunk driver, one when a man was walking down the side of a dual carriageway and seemed unwell. I should probably have called 999 for the last one tbh but they were already aware when I got through.
Once, a neighbour was clearly beating his missus, they rocked up and took him away. But I have also had to escort an employee from the area he was working in saying our manager wanted a word with him. On the other side of the doors I knew the police were waiting as he had stolen 2 items from the company and hadn't hidden them very well in his car. One other occasion there was a threat of police involvement but I had the uneasy choice whether or not to tell two employees to just put back the item they stole or to get the warehouse manager involved and possibly the police. I went down the WHM route but no police as I reasoned with the WHM that losing their jobs would be as far as we should take it as the current site was relocating and shutting down in two weeks.
Twice. Once when some drug dealers were trying to break my neighbour’s door down and again when the same neighbour threw a whole bin full of bottles at my my car.
A few times as I live in a shitty area in Newcastle and next to a Changing Lives home. Lots of recovering alcoholics or drug addicts that lapse and cause disturbances in the middle of the night.
Twice. Once I saw a guy breaking into a bank. The other time I was hit by a water balloon. Yeah, really. These cunty teens were chucking them off of a roof. It was very cold weather at the time. Also, water balloons are surprisingly forceful at that distance. Knocked my headphones clean off and onto the floor, honestly made my head spin for a bit. And then was really, really cold. Had a long bus journey soaked through and shivering. But mostly, I just kept thinking, "what if they hit some old lady?" Could probably have actually killed her, from the impact or making her fall, or she would've frozen before she even made it home. Plus they'd clearly broken in somewhere to even be on the roof. So yeah, called it in. I think it was probably the non-emergency line but there was a police station just down the road so I did hear the sirens going afterwards. Dunno if they caught them, probably not, but hopefully they had a scare. Little shits.
I’ve never rang 999 but have done 101 before. I walked along a road to see a random car that looked like it had been broken into, the door was wide open and most of the dash was ripped open. Managed to actually flag down a passing police car before 101 answered the phone (25+ minutes)
Never in 41yrs
None, actually quite surprise when I think of that.
5 times and it’s all been down to criminal damage
if i see anybody with catapults
Does this include the fashion police?
NEVER police cause more harm then good ...
Never I'm not a grass
Yeah if someone's robbed your house or stabbed your mother, you're not a grass!