Lincolnshire Police Operation Totem

[tomredmayne]

A 12 month conditional discharge, £400 fine and equipment confiscated. I know it is good that we are seeing these scum prosecuted, but it's not much of a deterrent considering the profits they could be making...........


Operation Totem was launched in February 2011 to combat illegal metal detecting in the Horncastle area. It has since been rolled out countywide.

The operation was commenced to address reports and concerns from members of farming community who were suffering from trespassers carrying out illegal metal detecting, sometimes referred to as Nighthawking. Much of this was going on during the night. Significant damage was being caused to crops and artefacts were being stolen from out of the ground.

We worked in partnership with English Heritage who were able to provide the police with support and advice on aspects of heritage crime.

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[Mal Asterley]

The Culprips cant make anything from what they are stealing from the Fields until they sell it and take the profit , if the Police want to make inroads into this crime why dont they use all the expertise that they have in computors and the skilled people they have using them to detect whos selling and whos buying ??? .

Mal .

[Cod fangler]

The Culprips cant make anything from what they are stealing from the Fields until they sell it and take the profit , if the Police want to make inroads into this crime why dont they use all the expertise that they have in computors and the skilled people they have using them to detect whos selling and whos buying ??? .

Mal .

Whilst that seems a good idea at first, if one looks at sales of goods stolen by illicit metal detecting as a percentage of all stolen goods, it is miniscule. The Police have enough to do with mainstream crime without putting resources into monitoring internet sites for metal detector finds and then establishing if they are stolen or not. It is a positive thing that they do pursue nighthawks and such,when reported, but it would be too resource intensive to proactively monitor sales on the internet when there are so many other methods of selling goods.

Computer crime units and intelligence units are an expensive and highly trained resource, demand for which exceeds the finite resources available. Their day to day work loads are therefore strictly controlled and they are managed through the National Intelligence Model. This Model has been developed to ensure Policing resources are targeted effectively to deal with priority crime. Crimes are categorised such as serious financial crime,cross border crime, major crime, gang crime, series offenders , international crime, and so on. I think it is unlikely we will ever see nighthawking on the priority list for those who trawl the internet for criminal activity.

[ageezer]

ok but what are they doing about thieves who steel ,fuel oil ,farming equipment ,and cables from railways ?
i dont see any culprits being arrested yet

[jambo1984]

they say the law is one step ahead !! how can this be if they cant put a stop to it??

[popsandme]

any prosecution is better than none, at least they are doing something about the problem, it might not be as proactive as some would like but at least it shows that the problem wont be tolerated, i mean lets face it we cant expect a mass of rozzers across the county on dawn raids battering down doors can we?.........i have been approached in the middle of feilds by the local bobby in a few counties asking what im doing there which says to me that them forces are aware and doing something about the issue, i always carry a signed permission letter with me to cover my backside so all was ok............
good on em!

[Cod fangler]

they say the law is one step ahead !! how can this be if they cant put a stop to it??

It would be someone very special who could put a stop to any crime other than by decriminalising it.

[Cod fangler]

ok but what are they doing about thieves who steel ,fuel oil ,farming equipment ,and cables from railways ?
i dont see any culprits being arrested yet

People are arrested every day for thefts of fuel oil, farming equipment and railway cables. Just because you dont see it doesnt mean its not happening.

[GAZ-T]

why dont they use all the expertise that they have in computors and the skilled people they have using them to detect whos selling and whos buying ??? .

Mal .

And how would that separate the honest for the dishosest ??

I know alot of 'Honest' detectorists that have sold there finds ! so are you saying only Nighthawks sell ?

[ageezer]

and while they spent all night under cover to catch 1 bloke there are 100s and 1000s of illegal immigrants working and claiming benefits right under their noses .

[allan75]

i police my own farms. flashing car headlamps makes them disapear, they know they should not be there.

[Donnydave]

why dont they use all the expertise that they have in computors and the skilled people they have using them to detect whos selling and whos buying ??? .

Mal .

And how would that separate the honest for the dishosest ??

I know alot of 'Honest' detectorists that have sold there finds ! so are you saying only Nighthawks sell ?

It would help if people recorded their finds to the PAS then advertise them if they want or need to sell with a unique finds number, and buyers prefer recorded finds they know they are legal and come with information

[popsandme]

and while they spent all night under cover to catch 1 bloke there are 100s and 1000s of illegal immigrants working and claiming benefits right under their noses .

its the job of the boarder agency to catch illegal immigrants isnt it?.......but i get you point

[coreservers]

Guys, please keep on topic, and not decend into some putrid discussion about illegal immigrants.

[Mal Asterley]

And how would that separate the honest for the dishosest ??

I know alot of 'Honest' detectorists that have sold there finds ! so are you saying only Nighthawks sell ?

Gaz I made a suggestion that might be a solution to the situation I dont see myself as an expert !! without suggestiong you wont find answers .

Mal .