I've seen a few roadside signs recently in my neck of the woods saying something like "Warning - Thames Valley Police Trap Cars operate in this area".

Anyone know what they are? Are they the anti-theft cars that trap thieves inside, or are monitored or something?

Or are they plain-looking Scoobys out there to try to tempt you into a race and then nick you?

 

I know Surrey police have a green unmarked Impreza T***FAP. Girlfriend even managed to get a wave from the driver.

 

GEJL, where did you see the signs - I've not seen any yet. Though I don't know if it's related I saw some dodgy looking cops this morning on the A217 near Banstead. Unmarked white volvo, yellow jackets and a theodolite - they didn't look like they knew what to do with it, perhaps they'd picked it up thinking it was a laser speed gun! Not really there job to measure the roads is it? And it wasn't the usual Surrey accident investigation man - weird!! Why don't they tell me their business.... LOL

 

I've seen them east of Reading (e.g. Twyford). They appear to be when going into towns/villages, which makes me think it may be a car crime thing rather than a speeding thing.

 

Yep they are cars rigged to either be broken into or stolen, then cut out and lock the doors.

 

What a great idea, but why do they put up signs? So that you only catch the illiterate ones...

 

probably the same reason they say "Speed cameras ahead"

I must be driving with my eyes closed coz I havn't seen them and I pass through there quite regularly...

are they near the Sainsbury's then?

 

I thought they were not allowed to do this due to some human rights issues..

Excellent idea... I want to do something similar with my car..
shame it is illegal to install flame throwers.... wonder if I had warning signs if I'd be okay...

 

Sorry Dizzy, I don't see the logic of that. A 'normal' law abiding person can unintentionally break the law by speeding, afterall the limit changes from area to area. (Clumsily put but I think you know what I mean). Where as those who try to steal a car are not doing it by accident or because they just aren't paying attention.

Do we need signs to say "Humberside Police have a strict no-GBH policy", of course not .

 

The police had their "Police Speed Check Area" signs out in Wokingham the other week - didn't ever see any police there, just the signs. Hardly an accident blackspot area, so I wonder if that was just boosting the coffers.

Shame that the signs went before I could alter them with a marker pen to say "Police Money Making Area"

 

Dizzy,

not near Sainsbury's...behind the Showcase cinema on the loddon bridge roundabout....you'd need to be heading past the cinema under the A329M to see them.

Likewise - I don't understand why they put warning signs up - probably just to deter car crime in general.

 

Yorkshire police did this a few years ago, and had the cases thrown out of court for "entrapment", which is illegal in itself.

Perhaps BuRR could comment? He knows what he's talking about where I, as I often prove, do not have a clue.

 

Its a question of prevention, rather than cure. They cant cure it, so lets prevent it (or attempt to) Suprisingly enough, most nominals although very clever and devious when it comes to comitting crime, 9 times out of ten they are very thick!

 

They are cars that are placed to tempt thieves to steal them. There are loads dotted around Windsor & i have seen them in action

 

ok swift head count:

hands up those who would be sorely tempted if they saw a new performance car with the keys in the ignition???

My answer: no comment m'lud...

 

soz andrew.. pass there everymorning on my way to work but must be travaling too fast too notice ... will keep my eyes out in future.

Yeh can't see how they could possibly hope to prosicute ppl if they were caught... or do they intend to prosicute just have an army of baseball bat weilding vigilanties to "open the doors"?

 

I'd be tempted by a car with the keys in... but would never take it!

It is not mine.... if people were decent enough to respect what is not theirs then there wouldn't be a bl00dy crime problem in the first place...

too late for that...

bring in removal of fingers for each offence... people would soon stop stealing stuff, either because they regret the one time they did as they now have 9 fingers or they'd find it had to break into a car / house with no fingers...

I find it really amazing that I cannot fit for example rasor blades under my bonnet scoop, or high voltage to the door handles..
more protection for the criminal than the victim these days..

The current situation is really getting on my t1ts!

moan over...

 

In regard to the speed camera sign issue, as far as I know it is something to do with photographic evedince being inadmissable if the person appearing in the photograph is unaware of (or did not allow) the fact they are having their picture taken. Therefore there must be a sign within a certain radius of a gatso (doesn't matter if you join the road after that sign, as long as it is within the required radius of the camera)

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I seem to remember reading something on it years ago.

 

Maybe they could leave attractive cars parked, unlocked, but full of cyanide gas.

That way the toe-rags would die before the Police even got there, and thus they could not offer up a pointless defense (assuming they doors were left open after the event to blow the "smoke" away!!

Oh, and i am NOT joking!!!!!

mb

 

Data Protection Act is a mine field. You are quite within your rights (i think) to pays yer £10 and ask, for example, Leeds City Council to show you all the images they have of you walking around the city during the hours of x and y. I think you might have to provide a bit more detail, such as you estimate you were walking on road x at 10 and road y at 11. But they *have* to show you the data they have on you, including video images. I also think there is a time limit on how long they can take to get back to you.

It will all end in tears mind, because I havn't seen any signs up yet to say that my movements are been recorded on CCTV as I walk around the city, so somebody somewhere is breaking the law.

Somebody please correct me if Im wrong, but it is getting this silly.

 

I think these are the 'decoy' cars that plod uses to try to trap car thieves. ie - when they break in, the vehicle locks itself with the hapless crim still inside, unable to get out.

I've seen signs like this at the Winnersh park & ride, behind the cinema.

[Edited by andrew6321 - 2/12/2002 11:53:16 AM]