Ealing Borough Police have issued a clear warning to anyone making false allegations of street crime in a bid to be compensated for fictitious losses and waste police time in the process.

 

Since January 2004, Ealing Police have dealt with 22 false allegations of street crime, which invariably takes resources away from dealing with genuine victims of street crime.

 

Of the 22 false classified allegations seven people have been charged with Wasting Police Time, whilst the remaining have either been formally cautioned or dealt with by means of an £80 Fixed Penalty Notice for Wasting Police Time.

 

These include:

• People who report the theft of their mobile phone but in fact have lost them
• People who report the theft of cash but in fact they have lost their wallets.
• People who report the theft of their benefit monies for additional funds with the DSS
• Insurance claims on electrical goods e.g. Cameras

 

Culprits in Acton include Lesley Black, who claimed he was robbed of £60 outside the Six Bells Public House, and Conor Maguire, who claimed his bag was stolen on his return from a night out. Both admitted the false allegations shortly afterwards and were given conditional discharges and awards for costs at Ealing Magistrates Court.

Ealing Borough Police are now asking each victim of robbery or theft to read and sign a crime declaration form, which underlines that in the event of police identifying a false report the offender will be prosecuted.

 

Ealing Borough Detective Superintendent Chris Foster

“Ealing Borough Police are committed to the ethical reporting and subsequent investigation of all allegations of street crime. The crime declaration form will hopefully deter and equally help us identify false reporting. Any false reporting will only divert our resources away from reducing street crime across Ealing Borough.”

 

February 14th, 2004