I got mugged and the police won't give me my stuff back (UK)

[Scruffy Git]

I was mugged the other week while I was travelling cross-country. My trains were cancelled and I was left to find a hotel at 1 am, and I got jumped by some guys on a quiet street who proceeded to kick the shit out of me and relieve me of my phone and wallet.

The guys were caught by police shortly after, with my blood all over their hoodies and tracksuit bottoms and my possessions in their pockets - including my ID and student cards with my details on, proving it's mine. They were also seen running on CCTV seconds after it happened. It's a case a child could solve.

The problem is, the police are refusing to return my belongings until it's all blown over, saying they need it for evidence. My friends have been mugged before and they had their things returned to them on the spot, whereas I apparently have to wait at the very least, 6 weeks, but more realistically 3 months.

This happened to anyone? Did you get your stolen items back ok?

 

[PhoenixFire31]

I had my purse stolen here in the US once...soon as the cops got it back they processed their info and I had it with in 2 hours (minus the cash that the thieves spent.)

Sorry that happened mate, hope you get stuff back sooner. =(

 

[Booze Zombie]

Goodness, no wonder people think the police are idiots.

They need a wallet and a phone to solve a case with CCTV footage and blood stained hoodies?

 

[Scruffy Git]

They weren't exactly the brightest officers in the world - when I called them to tell them I've been attacked and had my phone and wallet stolen, their response was "Have you got a mobile phone we could reach you on?".

-______-

They asked me that question 3 times. too.

 

[Acaroid]

in my country the police will give you back the guy who assaulted you withing 24hours

wait wait did I read that right LOL

would be awsome if they gave you the person who assaulted you XD

time for revenge!!

 

[Noamuth]

Sucks to hear that, dude. I hope you get your belongings back ASAP. Do make sure to check up with the cops about it every now and then, if you're not already.

Judging by what how they've handled stuff so far, they might get distracted by something shiny and forget about what happened.

 

[Jamash]

It make sense, as it's evidence.

All the CCTV can prove is that they were running away from the area at the time. They could say that they got your blood on their clothes as they found you lying in the street after getting attacked by someone else, and then ran away to get help.

Your possession are the only things which backs up your story and conclusively ties them in with mugging you.

Without that evidence, they could get off without charge if they have a convincing barrister.

I understand it's an inconvenience, but what would your prefer, a inconvenience for a few months or your attackers getting away with what they did to you?

A wallet and it's contents are easily replaced, so is the the phone, but in this day and age justice is priceless.

 

[Sonny B]

Yeah, I'm UK too, I was mugged once, And they took my student card and my wallet and phone, The thing is they gave it back next day, because I was actually due to go somewhere up north, so in a way they had no choice and The muggers only got a warning apparently, I Got mugged in london near vauxhall. but I got my stuff back, and surely if there was blood, that would be evedence enough. :s

And hope you get your stuff back mate, and hope your ok

 

[Scruffy Git]

It make sense, as it's evidence.

All the CCTV can prove is that they were running away from the area at the time. They could say that they got your blood on their clothes as they found you lying in the street after getting attacked by someone else, and then ran away to get help.

Your possession are the only things which backs up your story and conclusively ties them in with mugging you.

Without that evidence, they could get off without charge if they have a convincing barrister.

I understand it's an inconvenience, but what would your prefer, a inconvenience for a few months or your attackers getting away with what they did to you?

A wallet and it's contents are easily replaced, so is the the phone, but in this day and age justice is priceless.

I see what you mean, but do they need the actual items? My Driver's license and student card and rail-card for example - all of these things clearly have my information on them, they are useful only to me, and just a picture of them and a record of the information should be enough to use as evidence. Also there's the fact that they admitted to mugging me - although one claims that he was trying to stop his friend from hurting me. Either way, they owned up to the attack taking place, and that they were all involved.

Yeah, I'm UK too, I was mugged once, And they took my student card and my wallet and phone, The thing is they gave it back next day, because I was actually due to go somewhere up north, so in a way they had no choice and The muggers only got a warning apparently, I Got mugged in london near vauxhall. but I got my stuff back, and surely if there was blood, that would be evedence enough. :s

I was also due to travel 130 miles to go back to university, and they still wouldn't return it to me, although one of the officers wanted to and seemed to think it would be ok.

 

[manicfoot]

That sucks. Things should be handled so it has the minimum ammount of impact on your life. I mean, you're the victim afterall. It seems the police spend too much time on the bureaucratic side of things nowadays.

 

[Aesthetical Quietus]

It make sense, as it's evidence.

All the CCTV can prove is that they were running away from the area at the time. They could say that they got your blood on their clothes as they found you lying in the street after getting attacked by someone else, and then ran away to get help.

Your possession are the only things which backs up your story and conclusively ties them in with mugging you.

Without that evidence, they could get off without charge if they have a convincing barrister.

I understand it's an inconvenience, but what would your prefer, a inconvenience for a few months or your attackers getting away with what they did to you?

A wallet and it's contents are easily replaced, so is the the phone, but in this day and age justice is priceless.

Surely his cards could be photographed in the wallet, then a photocopy could be made of the actual cards, and then have the actual cards returned to him. [To allow him some semblance of normal life while the case is processed].
When we were broken into for example, (turns out the neighbours nephew though that our DVD player and DVD's looked worth taking), the police caught the suspect, then gave our items back, cross referencing with the missing list[he'd already managed to move some items on, but insurance covered them]. The youth was then reprimanded a week or so later [not the brightest lad to grace this earth].

Photographic evidence is taken as proof in court is it not?

In any case, sorry to hear about that dude. Hope your wounds heal quickly.

 

[742]

wow, i guess some things are the same wherever you go.

 

[Xvito]

I was mugged the other week while I was travelling cross-country. My trains were cancelled and I was left to find a hotel at 1 am, and I got jumped by some guys on a quiet street who proceeded to kick the shit out of me and relieve me of my phone and wallet.

The guys were caught by police shortly after, with my blood all over their hoodies and tracksuit bottoms and my possessions in their pockets - including my ID and student cards with my details on, proving it's mine. They were also seen running on CCTV seconds after it happened. It's a case a child could solve.

The problem is, the police are refusing to return my belongings until it's all blown over, saying they need it for evidence. My friends have been mugged before and they had their things returned to them on the spot, whereas I apparently have to wait at the very least, 6 weeks, but more realistically 3 months.

This happened to anyone? Did you get your stolen items back ok?

Tough-Break-five man, that sucks, I hope you'll get your stuff back soon.

PS. Those coppers seem like assholes if you ask me, although they're probably just doing their job.

 

[Scruffy Git]

The cops were nice enough, I think it's the whole system that's causing the problems. It's just way too bureaucratic - it took until about 5 am before I had finished all the paperwork and statements etc, and another week of constantly going to my local police station and getting forms and assessments etc etc.

It took less paperwork to get into university and sort my bank loan.