Stolen bike

[Kathyan]

My daughter's motor scooter was stolen from off our driveway in the early hours of Friday morning. My neighbour was awoken by her dogs barking and when she got up to investigate, saw two youths on our drive and the security light was on (they must have been right up the drive for this to be on). She phoned the police and they said they didn't have anyone available to come and investigate. When my daughter got up for work, the bike had gone. I feel certain that if the police had come out when my neighbour phoned, they would have caught them as they would have had to wheel the bike away as there was a chain lock on it.. Is it worth me complaining to the Chief Constable or not?

[JRB]

Initially you could write a letter of complaint to the Chief Constable of the force in question, giving as much information as you can. Keep a copy of this letter. If dissatisfied with the response to this action you could then take the matter up with the Independent Police Complaints Commission who will monitor the situation.
see http://www.adrnow.org.uk/go/SubPage_77.html;js essionid=aDU3QMbUnMV5

The IPCC will not act unless you have first complained directly to the police force in question.

[Ethel]

What exactly did your neighbour tell the police?

This will be key to any complaint - if she simply said there were two youths in full light on the drive there was no real cause for alarm.

If she had said she thought they were stealing a bike - then yes, they should have come out.

It's a shame she didn't telephone you really.

[Kathyan]

She told them that there were two youths on our driveway. She didn't see them stealing the bike, but they may have left then and came back later. The fact is that had they have come out when she phoned them, they may have caught them doing something. They were obviously up to no good at that time in the morning were they? And yes she has said that she wished she had phoned us!

[bednobs]

no one can know what would have happened. It can take less than a minute to steal a bike - even with a chain round. All you need is a van and two strong people to lift it in and it's gone.

unfortunately, there are less police on during the night, being as that most people are tucked up in bed, so if the police that are on are busy then they can't come and watch two people standing in yur drive!
You could try complaining but moped theft is very low dow on the list i would think. Sorry kathyan