How [not] to Defend your UK Property...

toyfj40 · Post by **toyfj40** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:35 pm

http://www.FoxNews.com/story/0,2933,435189,00.html
[a British ]
Gardener Ordered to Remove Barbed Wire Fence
on Grounds It Could 'Wound Thieves'
Thursday, October 09, 2008

A British gardener’s local council has ordered him to remove a 3-foot high barbed wire fence around his property in case thieves hurt themselves on it, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.

Bill Malcolm, 61, installed the wire at his Worcester property after burglars robbed his tool shed and vegetable plots three times in four months, stealing more than $500 worth of hardware.

But Malcolm’s local council told him the wire was a health and safety hazard and warned him they would remove it by force if he did not do it himself, the Mail reported.

“The council said they were unhappy about the precautions I had made but my response was to tell them that only someone climbing over on to my allotment could possibly hurt themselves,” Malcolm told the Mail. “They shouldn't be trespassing in the first place but the council apologized and said they didn't want to be sued by a wounded thief.”

The council said that a fence on the property must be a post or rail fence, not barbed wire.

“With regard to the barbed wire, when this is identified on site, we are obliged to request its removal or remove it on health and safety grounds to the general public as this is a liability issue,” a council spokeswoman told the Mail.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:11 pm

Ii would be jsut terrible for some thief/trespasser to be injured and sue for damages, guess maybe they should just do like the do it in Texas, when he scream form his injury on the barbed wire, just shoot him. As you were defending yourself and have the right of domain he can not sue for more than one reason, he will most likely not be among the living. Right Tex???????

toyfj40 · Post by **toyfj40** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:45 pm

I would hope that any "investigating officer" would appreciate
the reduced paperwork of only needing to document ONE-SIDE
of the story...

I'm 'appalled' at the stories (recently) of the treatment of
thugs, thieves and criminals in the UK system...
They do seem to have the upper hand...
and it hurts to perceive that "we" are moving that direction.

I 'googled' and found this forum-posting that has several links
to stories of "knife crime" in the UK...
http://fmatalk.com/showthread.php?t=385

-- toy

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:28 pm

Tex, got to believe in that old saying "Dead men tell no tales" or lies either.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:15 am

Well, there is actually more to this story. These food garden plots are public land that private citizens have been granted rights to use. The local government (Council) makes the rules as to how the plots are used. Plots have been used by the same families for generations. The Council furnishes a shed on each plot for the storage of tools,etc. They have a provision for a lock, and things have been going along just fine for generations. Until recent times thieves have been breaking into the sheds destroying the door frames,etc and stealing the contents. So, the loss of the contents is the problem/expense of the citizen who suffers the loss and either humps the tools,etc from their home or risks loss by storing items in the shed. The damage to the sheds caused by thieves crowbarring the locks off is the expense/problem of the Council. The Council(you've already guessed this) thinks that the best way to solve the problem is to require the citizen to leave the shed unlocked so thieves won't damage the sheds stealing the contents.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:00 am

Better yet and even safer, if the thief would leave his name and address along with a list of what he needs, you could make an appointment and deliver them to him at his convenience. that way everyone would be safe, but maybe not happy.???????

Post by **Bullseye** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:27 pm

What he needs to install is a very large (human sized) bug zapper. Then he could just sit out in a lawn chair at night and watch the light show!

R,
Bullseye

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 3:10 pm

Bullseye wrote:What he needs to install is a very large (human sized) bug zapper. Then he could just sit out in a lawn chair at night and watch the light show!

R,
Bullseye

Sounds like a winner to me, and maybe a few extra seats for people willing to spend a pound or two to see the light show.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:32 pm

The shed, locked or not, is an attractive nuisance. If it attracts a thief, then it's the owner's fault. Putting up barbed wire, makes the owner much more liable for harm because he attracted the thieves.