I chased a burglar, but not a soul tried to help me
IT IS undoubtedly true that the police discourage citizens from taking the law into their own hands. But when they only record burglaries, rather than investigate in order to catch culprits, what are you supposed to do? Last year, I discovered a burglar in my house. He ran out with his swag bag and I gave chase while my wife rang 999. Shouting ‘Stop thief!’ in the street, I was hoping for help, but no one obliged. Frankly, I was ready to turn and run if he had pulled a knife when I caught up with him. I’m fit enough, but short, thin and 67, while he was tall and young. But when I confronted him, he handed me the cash he had stolen from our bedroom. Since I wasn’t brave enough to physically restrain him, my citizen’s arrest did not work — he fled before the police arrived. My son thought these events newsworthy and phoned the local newspaper. They told him that police policy is to not encourage such selfhelp, so they would not run the story. More have-a-go heroes challenging criminals might be inconvenient for the police since it would highlight the madness of their priorities, but it might help to deter crime. We need to remember who are the victims and who are the villains. Three cheers for Richard Osborn-Brooks, who bravely confronted a burglar in his own home, and to Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn for expressing the common sense view of the vast majority on this issue in such a refreshingly forthright manner. Certainly, Mr Osborn-Brooks is a hero, but he is also a victim three times over: he was burgled, arrested and, though no further action will be taken after the death of one of the burglars, he and his wife are unable to return to their home because of threats.
JOHN LAWRANCE, Enfield, Middlesex.