Hampstead Heath

Report on telly this morning stated that police presence on Hampstead
Heath was increased to combat antisocial behaviour of yoofs riding
around on stolen bikes. Since when is being caught with a stolen bike
consider antisocial? According to them the police was giving out
warnings that the bikes would be confiscated the 'next' time?

Paging Steve Auvache for some social commentating on this.

 

It what they do whilst riding them, not necessarily the simple act of
'riding'.

Locally, the odd case of this usually results in (usually) a scooter being
thrashed up and down the cycle/pedestrian way - this, IMO, IS anti-social.

 

PeterT@Home wrote

Not sure I could. From what you have written it seems to me that
Hampstead Heath has changed beyond recognition from the way I knew it.

When I were a lad the recreation around that area involved us going out
and socially interacting with any poofs we found lurking in the bushes.
We didn't use bikes, it was all done on foot.

 

dwb grabbed the crayons and scrawled

You're missing my point. I wasn't saying that the way they ride 'their'
bikes isn't antisocial, but the fact that according to the police most
of the bikes are of stolen origin and they still only give them a
ticking off for antisocial behaviour[1]. I felt it was just another of
those highly publicised attempts to show some cracking down on
something. Furthermore, the approach of sending 20 policemen to patrol
the area, including a helicopter, may have the beneficial effect of
stopping said behaviour of occuring there, but it will only move to
another area. It's purely cosmetically.



[1] I know, well at least I'd like to think, that the police would nick
them if the bike was obviously stolen, but the way the report was made
there seemed to be considerably more emphasis on the antisocial
behaviour part and very little concern to the bike thefts connected.

 

PeterT wrote

Kev Otley, were he to delurk, would be able to tell you a great deal
more about what hoops plod have to jump through to target the scrotes
doing this sort of thing but as he hasn't been seen round these parts
for a long time then I suspect that you will just have to use your
imaginations about this.

He would also tell you that actually catching the scrotes "in
possession" needs a fair bit of help from the locals.

Such things are doable but Hampstead Heath? Anti social order thingies
then.