Paul Leicester, 18, played the Good Samaritan when he discovered the handset lying in the street.
He rang the last number dialled and told a friend of the owner he would leave the phone at a nearby police station. But officers arrested him for “theft by finding”, held him for four hours and took a DNA sample.
Yesterday Paul said: “I thought I was doing the right thing and had it thrown back in my face. I wouldn’t go to the police in future. All I was doing was the honest thing. It was a shocking experience.”
The A-level student at Southport College, Merseyside, had been out celebrating his 18th birthday last month when he found the phone.
Paul added: “Being arrested isn’t a good way to celebrate your birthday. What are you supposed to do when you find a phone?”
DNA sample was the real reason for the arrest.
They’re going to have some sort of “military style camps” here in the USA for the same reason, it makes collecting DNA samples a snap.
“Theft by finding”? How does one steal by finding? The very act of discovery precludes the act of theft. The English have appeared to have forgotten the very idea of mens rea.
Probably more a case of bad cops rather than bad England.
I’ve mentioned this to a couple of beat cops and they’re not sure what “Theft by Finding” is either. In fact they also pointed out that the paperwork around a theft charge is so much more complicated and a hassle than that of lost property that only masochistic officer would bother charging.
You know, it strikes me this site is ridiculously racist. Any time something negative happens in the UK you slam the UK as a whole rather than the particular parties involved.
Any time something negative happens in the US, you slam the parties involved rather than the country as a whole.
#4, The British are their own racial group now?
#5:
race
–noun
1. a group of persons related by common descent or heredity.
Yes, the British are a racial group.
#6, oh goody, the dictionary game.
racist
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
So tell me again how it’s racist to point out allegedly fucked up government policies within the UK.
It’s racist to assume it is a government policy, rather than the possibility that it was just a stupid Policeman.
It’s dodgy to start with, but particularly so given the incredible number of “BAD COP” stories that get posted here that don’t even suggest it’s down to government policy, and don’t brand the US as a whole in some form of negative way.
# 8 Twirrim said, “It’s racist to assume it is a government policy, rather than the possibility that it was just a stupid Policeman.”
So, the policeman just made up a fictitious charge for a fictitious crime? How are they going to prosecute?
Lol, okay man, whatever you say. Fortunately for you, the more people misuse words, the quicker the misuse becomes accepted as correct.
#9
I’ve just done a quick bit of googling around.
Theft by Finding is specifically aimed at people that find a lost item and fail to return it to it’s original owner.
It requires the Police officer involved to specifically establish that it was taken with NO intent to return it to the original owner.
Crown Prosecution will just turn around and laugh at the Police officer who charged the person, and this will be thrown out.
#9
I’ve just done a quick bit of googling around.
Theft by Finding is specifically aimed at people that find a lost item and fail to return it to it’s original owner.
It requires the Police officer involved to specifically establish that it was taken with NO intent to return it to the original owner.
By Law (according to the sources I found) if someone has found property they have to hand it in to the police who, in theory, will then give it to the individual should it not be claimed within 6 months.
In regards to the original article it’s clear the Crown Prosecution will just turn around and laugh at the Police officer who charged the person, and this will be thrown out.
The person in question will be well within rights to claim reparations for it.
#12 Thanks for the info. So, the cop is being a total jerk. Should be fired.
The important thing is the DNA base is expanded for government use.
What if I see something but ignore and step over it? Theft by failing to pickup and return?
JD, you stole this article. Submit your DNA to the nearest constable.
Want to know what is next, it is all right here in this documentary.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw
It’s more credible and better documented than global warming.
http://obamadeception.net/articles.html
You can not say you were not warned.
Apparently these bobbies don’t have enough REAL crime to occupy their time. So… anybody that walks in the station, for any reason, is just asking for a “shakedown”. They’ll probably chalk this citizen’s harassment to practice, job training. These weird laws are obviously meant to cover some imagined extreme case of thievery. Which might happen, once in a blue moon. And instead of using some discretion in applying it. The cops there just plain lazy about THINKING, and go by the book. And going by the book, seems to be the excuse these days, for people who are really bad at their jobs.