One of the cadets that attends the Sqn where I’m a CI is allegedly selling stolen goods on a local Facebook selling group under a fake profile. They happened to show me the exact same picture that this fake profile has as their profile picture on the day it was uploaded as the profile picture; and it’s a pencil drawing rather than a photo so I’m fairly certain it’s the same picture. The cadet often comes in with new phones, tablets etc. and it’s a joke amongst the staff that they have stolen them because they’re in school so not earning and come in with new stuff that frequently. Now it seems a bit more serious with these accusations being made against them.
I am after some advice; I’m fairly certain it is them selling the goods but obviously can’t prove it. I’m unsure where me and my fellow staff fall regarding this matter. Obviously we’re responsible adults within their life but we’re not police officers. Do we confront them on the matter as responsible adults or just let it run its course outside of cadets and keep an eye on them in case they steal from the Sqn?
Any advice would be appreciated; as I know what I would do as Mr Smith on the street with no links to the ATC but don’t know the position I would be expected to take as Mr Smith, CI within the ATC.
Or ring your local police force and ask to submit a report on suspicious activity. Be wary of giving out details that you know gained from duty with the ACO (name, address, DOB, parents info etc). There is a formal way of obtaining these.
Yeah, rozzers - its nowt to do with the ACO - some random indicated/nodded/whatever to you that they are a person who sells stolen goods.
That’s it.
I would, for the good of the ACO, not even discuss it with the other staff for fear that some idiot thinks that it’s not the ACO’s business what you think, but can’t prove, someone else does or doesn’t do outside of the ACO. Should it all come out in the wash, the ACO could happily live without it becoming public knowledge that ‘a senior officer’ (in media terms…) tried to block anyone reporting it…
Tell the police your suspicions, if they take them forward that’s their job, if not that’s also their job.
Yes a simple announcement and notice saying, no selling of tat (legal or otherwise) on the Sqn premises without the prior approval of the OC. Otherwise some WSO/WHQ with a penchant to be Inspector Jack Frost from Denton CID will start getting involved and making a mess of things.
What makes you think that the items being sold through Facebook are stolen? If you know that stolen goods are being sold and you believe this cadet is the suspect then the appropriate action to take is to report it to the police, they can then investigate it and deal with it as appropriate.
You could always give their parents a ring and make discrete inquiries about the origin of the items you have seen them with. It could be their parents are just loaded and always buying their kid stuff (who might then just be selling some of it off). If they know nothing about it then you could leave your concerns with them and let them deal with it.
This is a purely a police matter and sod all to do with us, unless they are nicking from the sqn/Corps or selling something obtained via the Corps.
The police will (should) investigate it and if it is stolen they will take whatever action become necessary,
However as Daws says, how do you know it’s stolen. Wagging tongues are an instrument of ill. A bloke in the village was thought to be up to something dodgy, but he buys bankrupt and end of line stock and if you’re not fussed about warrantees etc, he’s your man. He made no secret of this, but the rumours went round as they do. So unless you for certain that this stuff is stolen, keep schtum or as said call the police.
Take a look on some bankrupt stock websites and see what’s on offer. A quick look and I came across HP T5745 for about £8, against an RRP of £180. If this was offered at say £50, cheap computer and £42 in the bin. The only drawback, you need to buy 900!!!
You could buy these and give them to someone else to sell and they make a few quid for themselves.
The items definitely were stolen; people who had had their items stolen recognised them when they were posted on the Facebook selling page. I should have been more clear in the original post; the allegation was the cadet was selling them not that they were were allegedly stolen.
Whoever the thief was they have all been returned now. I’ve no idea if the police were involved or not.
Hi! If you have information that could help the police with an investigation then it would probably be most appropriate to pass the intelligence on to officers. It could be something but it could be nothing. I would be wary about confronting him as he could bottle it and get rid of any evidence in the way of stolen property. As people have already stated, crimestoppers are there to be used or give your local nick a call
