not the crime

of the century

WHILE walking towards M&S the other day I was pleased to see a policeman on the street. Was he about to apprehend a shoplifter or bag snatcher? Was he following up some info on a car theft perhaps? Maybe he was investigating some act of vandalism, broken window or graffiti, or something else that makes this town not the most pleasant in the country to live in.

My newfound optimism soon vanished as I got nearer and heard him questioning (pleasantly) the lady from the Salvation Army who stands outside M&S for hours collecting donations, about her paperwork. I can't begin to imagine what a coup that would have been for him if her paperwork had been out of date.

Come on Chief Constable Fahey, welcome to the 21st century. If we can have bobbies on the beat, let's have them doing proper police work, catching wrongdoers, and maybe we will then be able to see more than two or three articles per week in the Guardian where people have been arrested to go along with the dozen or more reported crimes.

GEOFF DODD

Leftwich