After a retired resident was fined £80 for making a fictitious report of theft

Local Police have issued a clear warning that they will take strong action against any individual who make false allegations.

The caution comes after a 72 year old male fined £80 for wasting police time and giving a false report of theft.

The retired resident claimed that he had been using his mobile phone outside his home address an unknown male has approached him from behind and snatched his mobile phone. He stated he did not recognise the suspect and was unable to give any description. When he was questioned about the integrity of his story, the victim admitted that he had made a false report.

He confessed that he had lost home mobile the previous evening but he required a reference number from the police to process his insurance claim and therefore made up a different allegation to cover his mistake of losing his mobile.

Detective Superintendent Julian Worker, Ealing Borough Police said, “We are fully committed to the ethical reporting and subsequent investigation of all allegations of crime and we will prosecute those that make false allegations of Crime. We recognize 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."

"However, their insurance premiums or the ability to have insurance in the future will be affected." he continued "Crime investigation is resource intensive, false allegations of crime can be misleading when analysing crime patterns and will only deflect our cops away from dealing with real crime and disorder issues such as violent disorder and protecting our young people.”

Earlier this year a 29 year old Estate Agent was issued with an £80 Fine for wasting police time for falsely alleging he had a been the victim of knife point robbery where the suspects allegedly stole a quantity of cash and a mobile phone. Again, when he was questioned about the integrity of his story, he admitted to police that the stolen property had been left in his left in his unlocked vehicle overnight and discovered missing the following day.

November 13, 2007