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Cost of office burglary - all for skimping on pennies

13th Jun 2012
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Last night , once again , the local scallies stole the wee plastic covered magnet that completes the alarm setting procedure. They had the affront to circle the building like hawks waiting for staff to leave without setting the alarm . Both us and our tenants are paranoid about security so staff stayed inside until reinforcements were called. The engineer said that it is a common problem but had no answer as to why they skimp on pennies when installing a system. Just imagine what the cost would have been if staff simply locked up and hoped for the best. The burglars , has they made it inside, would have made off with equipment worth perhaps £1,000 second hand , if that , for a few minutes work. Not a bad charge - out rate for somebody unregulated whp pays no tax. Cost to the firm....thousands plus a lot of down-time.Fortunately we have dedicated staff who stayed behind. It's at times like this that how you treat your staff make a big difference.

The funny side of it was that I called plod and advised that the gang was still local. Controller said there would be a delay of at least 15 mins due to pressure . Unknown to me they had been called to the same gang a couple of streets away and 2 cars pootled past on blues and twos to attend while I was on the phone (hence no units available for me). I told control that I couldn't wait that long and was getting my mates round with crowbars. "Please don't" she said . "Sorry Madam" , I replied nd hung up. Outcome - a 3rd unit arrives at my office within 3 minutes , just as my mates were turning up. Moral of the story....it's how you tell 'em.

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Replies (8)

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By justsotax
13th Jun 2012 17:00

LOL....i am only surprised

that on arrival they didn't read you your rights and charge you with threatening behaviour (and maybe throw in wasting police time?!).....so i guess i would add 'watch how you tell 'em'.....

 

 

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Replying to lionofludesch:
Norman Younger
By Norman Younger
14th Jun 2012 09:03

Police

Threatening behaviour ? When was the last time you were threatened by a member of an august body such as ACCA ? Merely advising that we required protection. didn't you know thta the crowbar is a standard piece of kit in Manchester & Salford  ?  Actually I run a citizens patrol / homewatch style scheme and members carry a large Maglite torch. It is something that can be legally carried and if threatened can easily come to hand form the car footwell - they have a nice 12 inch handle and is solid with big batteries inside it. We actually do assist the local bobbies who know us personally. Trouble is that often they are so stretched a response unit will attend from 5 to 10 miles away and they haven't a clue who we are. But by the time they arrive they can see we usually have taken control of a situation. It's not as exciting as it sounds but it does have its moments and it makes a difference in crime and anti-social behaviour.

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By justsotax
14th Jun 2012 10:31

Q. The last time I felt threatened

by a member of ACCA....A. when I mistakenly announced he was an ACA....oops!  He seemed to take great offence.......(and don't get me started about someone who I called a CIMA).....glad neither had a maglite torch to hand.....

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Norman Younger
By Norman Younger
14th Jun 2012 11:03

ACCA and ACA

Must have been somebody in officialdom within ACCA . Most ACCAs aren't fussed. In fact , when I am asked by non-accountants in a social setting what my qualification is I tell them Chartered Accountant. It is not that I belive it is a better status but it is what they know and avoids length soliloquoy explaining.

Now try it the other way around and I suspect even the most genteel slippers and pipe ACA would reach for the Maglite

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By justsotax
14th Jun 2012 11:28

Like any 'good' politician I was a little liberal with the truth

in response to your reply...it was factually questionable....but i didn't intentionally lie so it is only my assistant who will be asked to resign as a result.    It was indeed the other way around...ACA member who took extreme offence.....had a maglite been available i am sure you would have been reading about murder by durable torch on the front page of the local rag.

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Norman Younger
By Norman Younger
14th Jun 2012 13:22

The truth

Whether it would be newsworthy woudl depend on how close you were to the editor of the local rag.

Has Leveson summonsed you yet ?

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By justsotax
14th Jun 2012 14:17

I couldn't possibly comment on my relationship with the

local editor....although as i recall, i don't recall speaking or having any sort of contact with him, well except at the weekly 5 a side game we played in and the various text communications.  But i can 'honestly' say i don't remember what those texts contained and what the subject matter of any conversations were, apart from they were very irregular, albeit on a weekly basis, not meaning once a week but maybe once a week....some times, but not all of the time but most of the time.

 

With straight talking like that i am sure i must be on the list for a call up!

 

 

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Norman Younger
By Norman Younger
14th Jun 2012 16:48

Police efficiency

I even got a call back yesterday afternoon asking if we had any cctv images . Supremely efficient and customer friendly. Typical though , just when we couldn't get an image !

What would be really good was if they used the same web-based system for speed camera

offences for victims of crime. It would reduce manpower by so much and mak epeople happier. They could upload images instead of a copper coming round and so on. Instead all we have is a Twitter service from the local police station that lets you know when a lout has dropped a crisp packet. It's a start but it's not going to save money

 

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