Reply to: Carjacked!

[NickFitz]

Just realised that the edited first post doesn't really detail what went on, so to explain:

1. I'd stopped in the driveway leading to the area in which I park, and got out to unlock the gate;
2. There were several police vans and cars about four doors up blocking the road, though I still don't know what they were dealing with;
3. As I got back in the car and started the engine after unlocking the gate, the bloke jumped in the passenger seat demanding to be taken to Cuba (well, Sapcote), otherwise he'd take the car off me and drive there himself;
4. I reversed out of the drive and just drove up to the police blocking the road, stopped, and jumped out with the keys
5. The chap was out of the car almost as fast as I was, though heading away from rather than towards the police, so no chance to lock him in.

[SantaClaus]

And you'd be done for kidnap or illegally detaining him

EDIT: all's well that ends well. Glad you're ok, I also missed this first time around

Isn't there such a thing as a citizens arrest? Or has that been done away with the rest of our rights too?

Still... glad to hear Nick is alright.

P.S. My door locks always go on as a matter of course driving through the dodgier parts of London.

[Platypus]

if you had locked your car he would have been there to arrest.

And you'd be done for kidnap or illegally detaining him

EDIT: all's well that ends well. Glad you're ok, I also missed this first time around

[Durbs]

I once accidentally hijacked a car in Manchester City centre. Myself and a chum, much worse off from the drink jumped into the back of a 'taxi' and told the lad to take us to my mates house. Only once we got to our destination it turned out it was just some poor lad in a Mondeo who'd driven us back sh1tting himself about how this was going to end up.

Much hilarity and assurances he wasn't going to be left in a ditch and we sorted him out with a couple of bifters for his trouble.

The coppers actions in this post is scary. Sadly, I can believe it though.

[NotAllThere]

I missed it first time round. But if I hadn't...

...some bozo jumps in the passenger seat of my car as I'm stopped, and demands I take him to a village a few miles away, or he'll take the car and do it himself....

Yeah - I get that from my kids as well.

[AtW]

And the police have another 'solved crime' on their books.

Or more had they offered to give Nick's home address in exchange for that criminal "admitting" on doing some other unsolved cases!

[mudskipper]

And the police have another 'solved crime' on their books.

[NickFitz]

I'd be looking for his.

I'd be surprised if he has one

Crikey Nick, I missed this post first time around. Glad you're Ok, and great news.

Cheers Must admit, I was quite surprised that somebody went to the trouble of making an anonymous call about it after all this time. Sounds like he is not the most popular of petty criminals.

[NickFitz]

I hope they did not give him your home address for when "he gets out"!

[MaryPoppins]

Crikey Nick, I missed this post first time around. Glad you're Ok, and great news.

[Cliphead]

I hope they did not give him your home address for when "he gets out"!

I'd be looking for his.

[AtW]

As taking this matter to court would, under the circumstances, be a waste of time and money, they've instead used the "community resolution" process: the crime goes on his record, and he's written a letter of apology to me, which I can pick up at the local police station when I'm passing.

I hope they did not give him your home address for when "he gets out"!

[NickFitz]

Just got a phone call from the police: they've found the guy!

After the shenanigans, a friend who's the crime reporter on the local paper ran a story on it. This resulted in the police taking a much greater interest, taking a proper statement, recording the incident, carrying out house-to-house enquiries, and so forth; but there wasn't really much to go on. In the end, they said they'd just have to leave it on the books.

Then a couple of weeks ago they got an anonymous phone call giving them a name, and saying that the guy had tried this stunt on with other people.

When they check the name, it turns out the chap has since then been sent down for other offences (don't know what), for "quite a long time". So they went to see him in prison, where he admitted to the offence.

As taking this matter to court would, under the circumstances, be a waste of time and money, they've instead used the "community resolution" process: the crime goes on his record, and he's written a letter of apology to me, which I can pick up at the local police station when I'm passing.

So that's that

[suityou01]

Plan B - vehicle device that immobilises passenger in the event of carjacking.

Never leave home without one!

Plan B offering training to wise up wet behind the ears geeks.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Plan B - vehicle device that immobilises passenger in the event of carjacking.

Never leave home without one!

Like your other ideas for personal protection, this one sounds like the quickest route to "at least I died heroically" - for that reason, I'm out.