As part of a midlands Neighbour hood watch scheme ( we are also know as curtain twitchers) and other local schemes, I often get warned about stuff that might interest posters.

This one might be of interes

tto owners of older cherished cars

"

We have been made aware of a new tactic used by criminals who want your car - or specifically want parts from your car.

 

The car parts market is huge, and parts for certain cars, such as Audi, BMW & Mercedes being expensive and parts for older models being hard to find. Over recent years, a large number of "chop shops" have popped up all over the country - these are criminal workshops or yards that take in stolen cars and strip them down for parts.

More recently, cars and vans have even been stripped where they are parked, with owners waking up to find large parts of their car gone overnight.

The latest development is for a criminal gangs to mark cars to be targeted for parts by using a marker pen (often coloured) on one of the windows. These is often done in public car parks (supermarkets etc). If this happens to you, we advise you to call the police immediately. If you are in a car park, please keep an eye out for suspicious persons nearby and keep your doors locked - and make sure you are not followed home. If suspect you are being followed, drive to an alernative public place (such as a petrol station) and call the police.

Midlands 'Neighbourhood / Industrial sites / countryside farms watch' must be pretty  rubbish if nobody is reporting 'Chop Shops' near by.

Are people just deaf, blind and stupid or just happy to have criminals in their area as long as it is not their vehicles having bits pinched.

 

The Local Police must know who criminals involved in it, but maybe they are 'registered informants' and left to get on with things.

People only take notice when it effects them; "better them than me."

 

My wife was assaulted (kicked, punched and spat on) by 3 female teenagers for over 10 minutes on a busy carriage coming home from work. The onboard CCTV showed people looking over, then slinking being their books and magazines. Some even got up and moved further up the carriage.

 

But my family are not averse to turning a 'blind eye' either.My mother in law knows an elderly neighbour should not be driving. He's been known to deliberately drive down one way streets or bus only access as it gets him to places quicker.

 

He drove through a red light at temporary traffic lights that I was sat at. I caught up with him once they were green and ripped into him.

 

MiL fell out with me because she demanded I go over and apologise to him, even though she admitted he was in the wrong,   "I have to live here."