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Burglars suing home owners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356388/Villagers-outraged-police-order-protect-garden-sheds.html

Residents in Surrey and Kent villages have been ordered by police to remove wire mesh from their windows as burglars could be injured.
Home owners in the villages of Tandridge and Tatsfield in Surrey and in Westerham, Brasted and Sundridge in Kent have said they are furious that they are being branded 'criminals' for protecting their property.
Locals had reinforced their windows with wire mesh after a series of shed thefts but were told by community police officers that the wire was 'dangerous' and could lead to criminals claiming compensation if they 'hurt themselves'.

'Dangerous': Police have told villagers that wire mesh protecting their windows could hurt burglars and lead to lawsuits
Surrey Police have defended the move but outraged residents have attacked the force for seemingly trying to protect criminals.
Thomas Cooper, of Tatsfield, Surrey, said he put the mesh around three of his garden sheds after two break-ins over the past four years.
He said he decided to take action after reports of a rise in shed burglaries in the area near the Kent and Surrey border.
'I have three sheds and had two break-ins in the past four years,' Mr Cooper explained.
'I reinforced my shed windows with wire mesh, but was told by the police I had to be very careful because thieves can actually sue you if they get hurt.
'"I mean, what are you meant to do? Let them take your stuff? It is ridiculous that the law protects them even though they are breaking it.'

Breaking and entry: Police warned criminals could sue if they sustain injuries while attempting burglary
Crime reduction officer for Tandridge PC John Lee commented: 'We are constantly advising homeowners to protect their property and the contents of their shed or garage, however, a commonsense approach needs to be taken.
'To properly secure your sheds, Surrey Police strongly advises people to invest in items such as good-quality locks and bolts, and not to resort to homemade devices, as this could cause injury.'
A police source added: 'Homemade devices can cause injury and there have been cases where criminals have sued for injuries they have suffered while committing a criminal act.
'We are advising people to do whatever they can to protect their property, but wire mesh is not one of the suggestions we would make.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356388/Villagers-outraged-police-order-protect-garden-sheds.html#ixzz1Duql21jz

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It is things like this that have taken the great out of Britain.
That is beyond hilarious!
Why do people continue to post threads with the dailymail as a source. Do people believe it to be a credible source? REALLY?
Original post by anfieldred07
Why do people continue to post threads with the dailymail as a source. Do people believe it to be a credible source? REALLY?


Why do people keep parroting that childish meme? Do they think it is funny? Or a valid point? I can understand complaining about the political stance that the Daily Mail takes, but to blindly claim that the paper is a poor source for such a non-contentious and widely reported matter is just plain ridiculous. Do people not realise that all the national newspapers use the same sources of information and then report on them?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/outdoors/8318985/Shed-owners-warned-wire-on-windows-could-hurt-burglars.html#

http://crimebloguk.com/dont-put-wire-shed-windows-hurt-burglars/#

http://forum.asianimage.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=186043&sid=980870acdb3e546b95fdedb5642a7e6c

http://www.britainnews.net/story/743883
Reply 5
Well, if the Burglars run into the wire mesh like retards and injure themselves than that'd be justice. Some of the laws of this country are completely absurd- the home owners should be suing the injured burglars for trying to break into their house not the other way around.
Reply 6
How absurd.
Honestly have we really gotten that bad now that the law will take the side of the criminal rather than the victim?
Better remove the glass of the shed as well. Burglars might cut themselves when they break it to get in.
Reply 8
dats just pretty dumb xD i mean making it safe for someone to burgle?...
Reply 9
"Residents in Surrey and Kent villages have been ordered by police to remove wire mesh from their windows as burglars could be injured."

Yet the article later says that the police simply advised them. Free legal advice: they should take it.

"Home owners in the villages of Tandridge and Tatsfield in Surrey and in Westerham, Brasted and Sundridge in Kent have said they are furious that they are being branded 'criminals' for protecting their property."

Nope, the police said they might get sued, not that it is anything criminal.


It is perfectly reasonable. We don't allow for vigilante justice in this country, so laying traps for burglars simply isn't on. Making things dangerous for people is exactly the same issue.

Original post by Jenny_Jazz
How absurd.
Honestly have we really gotten that bad now that the law will take the side of the criminal rather than the victim?


It takes neither side. If you harm someone, you are eligible to pay them damages. It doesn't matter if they have harmed you by a separate act.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by L i b

It takes neither side. If you harm someone, you are eligible to pay them damages. It doesn't matter if they have harmed you by a separate act.


But what if you put the wire mesh in to help prevent break in's rather than putting there intentionally to harm burgulars.
If it's the former, the home owner or property owner should be less accountable. Furthermore in an instance like that the fact that it only happend because the burgular broke in should disqualify any claim for compensation.
Reply 11
Original post by L i b

It is perfectly reasonable. We don't allow for vigilante justice in this country, so laying traps for burglars simply isn't on. Making things dangerous for people is exactly the same issue.



It takes neither side. If you harm someone, you are eligible to pay them damages. It doesn't matter if they have harmed you by a separate act.



Piss.

If it's someones shed on their own property - no one else should be near it without permission. If you happen to open the door and a flamethrower burns your face off then that's your problem - you shouldn't have been there.

It would be vigilante if people were roaming the streets rounding up "burglars" and then hanging them from lamp posts. Not exactly the situation here.
idiots!!!
they might strain their backs carrying heavy items
we must aid them to move these heavy items!
By this logic, I could sue the police for damages to my car because I choose to drive over a speedbump at 60 in a 30. I may be breaking the law by speeding, but that doesn't mean the police have a right to damage my car and possibly injure me..
Original post by anfieldred07
Why do people continue to post threads with the dailymail as a source. Do people believe it to be a credible source? REALLY?


Because for people like me who don't really care about the source and only clicked on this post knowing that there was going to be a reactionary and hyperbolic article it allows me brief amusement to look at the Daily Mail comments, who after Fox are some of the funniest you can read.

For example, Jimmy from Blackburn states that "Good luck, because regardless of what any court tells me to do, I won't be paying someone who tried to break into my property any kind of compensation."

Original post by RadioHawk
they might strain their backs carrying heavy items
we must aid them to move these heavy items!


You stole that joke from Gill in Sussex.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 16
The Telegraph Website
Last month Samantha Cullum, a mother-of-three, of Brasted, near Sevenoaks in Kent, had her whole shed stolen when thieves lifted it on to a lorry.

She said: “We had some tools stolen every now and again, but this time they took the entire shed I couldn’t believe it.”


I feel guilty for laughing
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 17
Original post by Jenny_Jazz
But what if you put the wire mesh in to help prevent break in's rather than putting there intentionally to harm burgulars.
If it's the former, the home owner or property owner should be less accountable. Furthermore in an instance like that the fact that it only happend because the burgular broke in should disqualify any claim for compensation.


If it's there simply to make the window harder to break, then that's fine. I'm not saying you should be accountable for every stupid thing a burglar does - but when you either leave traps for them, or are so negligent as for it to make no difference, then I think there should be some liability, even for burglars.

Another point is that there can be people legitimately "breaking in" to a home too. Say there's a fire or gas leak.
Reply 18
Original post by Good bloke
Why do people keep parroting that childish meme? Do they think it is funny? Or a valid point? I can understand complaining about the political stance that the Daily Mail takes, but to blindly claim that the paper is a poor source for such a non-contentious and widely reported matter is just plain ridiculous. Do people not realise that all the national newspapers use the same sources of information and then report on them?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/outdoors/8318985/Shed-owners-warned-wire-on-windows-could-hurt-burglars.html#

http://crimebloguk.com/dont-put-wire-shed-windows-hurt-burglars/#

http://forum.asianimage.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=186043&sid=980870acdb3e546b95fdedb5642a7e6c

http://www.britainnews.net/story/743883


I see your point, but the reason people keep going on about the daily mail is because they seem to be the biggest culprits. And some of the stuff they put in their paper is so ridiculous, you have to wonder whether the editors actually believe the stuff they print or are they just a bunch of 4chan type people printing the most ludicrous thing they can think of, knowing full well that their loyal readers will believe every word of it.
Original post by Phalanges



You stole that joke from Gill in Sussex.


lolwut?
i dont read DM comments

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