Imaginary friends 'rob' young man in restaurant toilet

Ealing Borough Police would like to issue a clear warning that they will take strong action against any individual who make false allegations.

Oon Saturday 9th September a 21 year old man reported an allegation of street crime to Ealing Borough Police. The victim informed police he had been robbed in Old Orleans, Bond Street, W5. He stated two males approached him from behind whilst washing his hands in the toilets. The suspects allegedly threatened the victim with violence if he attempted to turn around and began searching his pockets. The victim told the suspects that he didn't have anything of value. They then took the his watch, worth approximately £1,000 and £15.00 pounds from his pocket. The victim did not see either suspect, as he was too frightened to turn around. He called the police 20 minutes after the incident.

Whilst being questioned about the incident to clarify the sequence of events, it was put to the victim that security personnel at the venue did not witness the alleged robbery. The victim then changed the venue of the alleged robbery from the toilets to the corridor in close proximity of the toilets. Police were now becoming sceptical of the alleged incident, as the victim had earlier indicated the offence took place whilst he was washing his hands.

Later on that evening the victim was telephoned by police to be given his crime reference number. During the conversation he informed officers that he wanted to withdraw the allegation because the alleged stolen watch was insured. At 0200hrs on Sunday 10th September the victim phoned police and stated some of his friends had in fact played a trick on him and they were in fact the "Suspects". They have returned his property to him and he wished to withdraw the allegation. He could not supply any details of the persons that were alleged to have played the prank on him. The following morning, officers visited the alleged victim, to discuss the inconsistencies in his account of the alleged robbery, his unwillingness to name the so-called pranksters and to put it to him that this incident was more likely a planned insurance fraud.  He admitted giving a false report and was issued with an £80 Fine for wasting police time, which he accepted.     

Detective Superintendent Chris Foster, Ealing Borough Police said: 

“Ealing Borough Police is committed to the ethical reporting and subsequent investigation of all allegations of crime. We recognise that a small minority of the public make false reports to police about crime. Often this is to validate an insurance policy concerning the theft of property but can also include those occasions where lies are told to cover up the true circumstances of an incident. 

Crime investigation is resource intensive, false allegations of crime can be misleading when analysing crime patterns and will only divert our resources away from reducing crime across Ealing Borough. This example demonstrates how Ealing Borough Police will take strong action against those that make false reports of crime.”

September 25, 2006