Posted on 05/25/2011 4:14:33 PM PDT by naturalman1975
When schoolboy Tom Clarke accidentally kicked his football through a neighbour’s greenhouse, he might have expected a scolding.
But 30 minutes later a police patrol car, two officers and the force helicopter armed with thermal imaging cameras were on his trail, in scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood manhunt.
And when officers tracked down the 15-year-old, he was told the mishap had been recorded as criminal damage and could be revealed to future employers carrying out record checks.
His furious father insists the schoolboy has never been in trouble before and branded the police reaction ‘extremely heavy handed’.
But police – and the owner of the greenhouse – have not backed down and Tom fears the incident could derail his hopes of becoming a teacher.
The football fan was having a kickabout with his cousin in a pub garden in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, when the problem started.
He kicked the ball and – like countless schoolboys before him – watched in horror as it looped over a garden fence and smashed through a pane of glass in the greenhouse.
Unsure what to do next, he went into the pub, unaware of the dramatic chain of events about to unfold.
Greenhouse owner Bobby Cellar, 67, called Thames Valley Police who logged the complaint as criminal damage.
Half an hour later two uniformed officers in a patrol car were leading the search for the culprit, and they asked the force helicopter for help.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Operation kickabout: Two policemen, a patrol car, the force helicopter and thermal imaging equipment... all to find boy who kicked his ball into a greenhouse
Must have needed their quota filled for the weekly reports.
They have so many gang problems in the UK, and they use a HELICOPTER in the case of a kicked ball?
That is stupid beyond stupid. I hope every British citizen remembers this incident when told they need more taxes for the police.
>the owner of the greenhouse – have not backed down and Tom fears the incident could derail his hopes of becoming a teacher. <
Wow. It’s OK to spend taxpayer’s money on small scoundrels who broke a window but hey, as long as one gets to become a teacher.
Routine response in a police state.
If the kid’s name was Abdul mohammed, this owner would be begging for forgiveness and receive a police escort back to the house.
Someone wanted to take a ride.
He should have told them that he was a Muslim, and that he was just doing a little jihad. Then they’d have apologized and let him go.
I doubt Hitler’s Germany would go this far.
About ten years a deer came wandering through our street. Five cruisers with sirens and lights blazing rushed in to protect us from fierce Bambi.
Interesting. Were any of the College Students that destroyed public property under the watchful eyes of the cameras arrest and tried.
Or do the brits only go after kids that have accidents.
Same reason why they frisk Swedish grandma’s at the airport; statistics are collected, and they KNOW the person in question is no real trouble.
But they really come down on them cuz it makes things “look better” (more fair) when they come down on the real scum-bages.
THIS way they can say, “yeah but look what we did 2 this other guy...”
Sounds like the boy needs to insist it go to trial, and by no means plead guilty to any “crime.” Then fight the greenhouse owner tooth and nail on any tort claim because he sounds like he’s going to exaggerate things when all that needs replacing is a couple window panes. (I thought Elf-and-Safety Britain would have long ago required Plexiglas in the greenhouse anyhow, and the football would have bounced off.)
Well, when I was a kid I did a similar thing with a baseball I fouled off. But we went directly to the greenhouse owner to tell him what happened, that it was us who did it, it was unintentional, and we would make ammends.
I had a paper route, and it took me about a month’s pay to settle. But I did.
That boy could at least have gone directly to the owner and told him what happened.
More English soccer hooliganism nipped in the bud! < /sarc>
-PJ
“About ten years a deer came wandering through our street. Five cruisers with sirens and lights blazing rushed in to protect us from fierce Bambi.”
________________________________________
I can beat that one....
Back in the late fiftys, there were two, maybe three separate incidents of black bear wandering around various neighborhoods in the city.
Memphis is probably 400 miles from any native habitat.
I do not think they ever discovered where they came from.
And yes, the police were going crazy, zooming all over our neighborhood.
Gotta justify those helicopters some way.
Right.
OFF WITH HIS BLOODY HEAD!
No. Not at all.
I’m just noticing that he went back into the pub without trying to find the owner.
This is a conservative web site. What would a conservative do who accidently broke someone else’s property?
And the police cars, helicopters, etc was definetly overkill!
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