News

Great Hollands tyre-slasher cautioned

By Becky Barnes
November 06, 2012

An 18-year-old vandal has been cautioned after admitting a spate of tyre slashing in Great Hollands.

Police found the man was carrying a lock knife when he was searched under the misuse of drugs act on September 27, after they were called to a disturbance in the underpass near Great Hollands Square at 12.45am.

Great Hollands PCSO Taylor Walmsley said: “A stop search was carried out on a 18-year-old male who was found to be in possession of an offensive weapon.

“This subsequently led to his arrest and he gave a full admission to carrying out the criminal damage offences – and as a result has received a caution.”

Chief Inspector Simon Bowden confirmed the man had admitted five tyre slashings.

Related Content

Latest Great Hollands news

| Submit Comments | View Comments (15)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 15 of 15

Not sure how these cautions work. Does a caution count as a crime and find its way into reported crime figures or is it disregarded so the police can feed us porkies about crime reduction?

timespassing
07/02/2013 at 15:51

What's really alarming about this incident is the discrepancy between this crook admitting the crimes and being CAUTIONED - and the Birch Hill shoplifter who also admitted his crimes and yet he was put before Slough magistrates and ordered to pay compensation.

http://www.getbracknell.co.uk/news/s/2123311_birch_hill_shoplifter_forced_to_compensate_coop

How can someone who has admitted criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon be let off despite having caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage? Yet the comparatively lesser offence of theft is deemed worthy of court time and sentencing.

Someone at Bracknell nick needs to be held accountable for such inconsistent charging decisions.

Winstanley, Bracknell
07/11/2012 at 11:14

You are very well informed Winstanley - thank you. They will certainly be hearing from me in due course.

SCinBracknell
06/11/2012 at 14:47

...that should be Independent Police Complaints Commission.

winstanley , Mitt Romney's Gimp Dungeon
06/11/2012 at 14:47

SCinBracknell - here's some info for you.

Complain - http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/contactus/contactus-complaint.htm

Bracknell Forest Commander is Chief Inspector Simon Bowden. Call 101 to get phone or email details.

Thames Valley Police Authority - tvpa@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Phillip Lee MP - phillip@phillip-lee.com

Independent Complaints Commission - enquiries@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk

BFC Councillor Mary Temperton - mary.temperton@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

BFC Councillor Jenny McCracken (current Mayor) - jennie.mccracken@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Hope this helps.

winstanley , Mitt Romney's Gimp Dungeon
06/11/2012 at 14:46

Be great to be kept updated dodgynews! If you know contact details - can you put them up please? Appreciate your advice.

SCinBracknell
06/11/2012 at 14:27

I have sent a mail to Dr Lee Bracknell MP and I'll also be writing to the police for an explanation. I suggest other people do the same - especially you, SCinBracknell. You're owed money by this waste of space.

dodgynews, Bracknell
06/11/2012 at 14:16

I posted earlier, but for some reason it has not saved. It went along the lines of this...

A warning?! I cannot believe that a delinquent would be given a caution/rap on the knuckles and told not to do it again, when the people are the ones suffering!

I agree with the comment about an apology - get him to face his consequences.

I was one of the 10 in one block in the "V" streets. I am so mad at reading this article! It is so unjust - especially as he was under the influence and had a weapon!

I couldn't afford a spare tyre and wheel. The officer took it away for investigation. If this kid can clearly afford "drugs" and weapons, then surely he could pay back for the damage caused.

SCinBracknell
06/11/2012 at 13:40

An excellent post winstanley, and may I also add that it doesn't need to just be the victims who write to Bowden & co at Bracknell Police Station and demand an explanation. It may even be worth copying in the local MP.

I'm still outraged at this story and want to learn more about how the hell this happened and if/how this whole this can be looked at properly.

dodgynews, Bracknell
06/11/2012 at 13:04

Can I suggest that the victims of this unnamed miscreant contact Chief Inspector Bowden at Bracknell police station and formally make a complaint, copy in local councillors, our illustrious MP, Thames Valley Police Authority, the candidates for police commissioner, and the IPCC.

Demand a written explanation as to why following the admission of wrongdoing he wasn't charged with criminal damage?

At the very least we have possession of an offensive weapon, conspiracy to commit criminal damage, and criminal damage.

If this kind of thing goes unchallenged then we as a society cannot complain about the lax treatment offenders receive in this town. We need a strong message of zero tolerance, and a stronger response by those who profess to serve us.

Otherwise CI Bowden's warm words of 'public interface' are simply hollow soundbites from a policing team with Teflon shoulders.

winstanley , Mitt Romney's Gimp Dungeon
06/11/2012 at 12:03

A caution?

Coming from Bracknell's 'finest' I assume the caution was along the lines of "Don't get caught next time".

I can't wait for the police commissioners to get elected - that'll really take the fight to the crims.

winstanley , Mitt Romney's Gimp Dungeon
06/11/2012 at 11:54

But surely if he has admitted the crime then he should be charged with criminal damage

*rolls eyes*

CMK
06/11/2012 at 11:08

That'll learn him !!!!

Friday's child, Reading
06/11/2012 at 10:53

I utterly, utterly despair. This degenerate has caused hundreds - and possibly thousands - of pounds of damage and what does he get? A caution.

Some years back, after my car was stolen from Great Hollands, I made a complaint to The Police Complaints Commission over the dire way in which the police ‘handled’ the theft - I won’t explain exactly what happened here, but their response and subsequent mishandling wouldn’t be out-of-place in a 'Police Academy' movie. I received an apology and an assurance that things would change when similar crimes occurred in the area.

Since that time, I’ve had the window of a different vehicle smashed in a random act of vandalism and two bikes stolen from where I live. I never even bothered to report the second incident to the police, as my confidence in their doing absolutely nothing is now at an all-time high. A while back, I was involved in an entirely different incident (I won’t go into the details here because it isn’t particularly interesting) which led to a police officer contacting me for more information a day or so later. Despite assurances they’d be ‘in touch’ and at least three phone calls requesting the officer dealing with the case contact me, I never heard a damn thing. In the end, I just gave up.

It really fills you with confidence when it comes to policing in Bracknell. If this didn't case deserve to go in front of a Judge, I don't know what does. At the very least, this worthless piece of ---- should have been forced to pay for every single tyre he'd damaged and made to apologise to every single person who's car he's attacked.

dodgynews, Bracknell
06/11/2012 at 10:50

Cautioned? I'm sure that's of great comfort to all those who had to fork out for new tyres... cos they're really cheap aren't they! He should have to pay them all back!