Police Act as “Pretend Burglars” to Prevent iPod Theft at Home

9:04 am, August 4th, 2009, Nicole Martinelli

Photo used with a CC-license on Flickr, thanks to bortusk.

Image used with a CC-license on Flickr, thanks to bixentro.

Do you leave coveted goods like iPods in plain sight around the house and forget to lock doors?

Well, if you live in Nottingham, England you just might find a police officer dressed up as “Burglar Bill” entering your residence to teach you a lesson.

The charade is being staged to teach locals to wise up after some 285 homes were robbed in April and May by thieves entering through unlocked doors or open windows — police there say one-third of all home burglaries are perped this way.

Must-have gadgets like the iPod are a quick nick and hard to trace, they point out.

Detective Chief Superintendent Neil James said in a press release: “It only takes a couple of seconds for a thief to reach in through an open window or walk inside an unlocked door and steal a handbag, car keys, iPod and all sorts of other valuable items.”

You’ll be able to tell the artificial larcenist from the real deal because the police officer will don a get-up inspired by Hamburglar: striped shirt, mask and loot bag.

Once the fright wears off, police hope people will be more likely to use common sense habits to keep intruders out — close windows, lock doors and when at home, don’t leave keys in locks or on view and put keys out of sight to stop anyone who breaks in using your car as the getaway vehicle.
What’s still not clear: do the fake burglars give the iPods back?

Via This is Nottingham

Posted by Nicole Martinelli in Cult of Mac, iPod | Comment on this article

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About the author

Nicole Martinelli was born in San Francisco and has lived in Milan and Florence, Italy. Cultish tendencies and love for DIY increased while living on the Old Continent, where tech came late and cost more in Big Mac index terms. She's written for Wired.com, The New York Times and Newsweek. Since 1999, she's been tapping away at zoomata. You can also find her on Facebook, Linked in and Twitter.

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10 comments

Only in the UK. I think Bugular Bill would get some Second Amendment attention if he were to show up in an home in the US. I don’t think a Hamburgler outfit would deter anyone from giving their guest a lead salad. And what’s to stop thieves from dressing up as Bugular Bill and talking their way out of trouble if the homeowner comes home early?

jetfuellatte, on August 4th, 2009 at 9:35 am

stealing an iPhone is hard to trace unless you have “find my phone turned on”

iphone user, on August 4th, 2009 at 9:47 am

Don’t try something like this in Texas! Shoot first, ask questions later, baby!

Now, imagine REAL thieves dressing up like the Hamburglar. If caught stealing, they can just claim to be cops, wag their finger at the foolish homeowner and nip off.

This is not a good idea in my opinion.

Justin, on August 4th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

Funny until someone thinks it’s a real thief and cuts their throat for home invasion. Oh wait, that’s Britain. You don’t have a right to defend your home like we do here in America. My bad.

sebuchen, on August 4th, 2009 at 1:14 pm

I wonder how long Nottingham police will break into peoples’ houses when the first one gets shot and killed?

mike davis, on August 4th, 2009 at 3:21 pm

These F***tards in the UK must LIKE being raped by their government. Why did you resist Hitler the the first place, just to put it off for 50 years? It’s bad enough they track and trace your every movement, now they want to break into your house and rummage around to teach you a lesson? F**k the UK.

Pancho, on August 4th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

So wait… the police in Britain have the right to break into a home, invade a persons privacy, and if they get caught they can simply say they were doing it to teach me a lesson?

KhÃ¼rt, on August 4th, 2009 at 6:39 pm

Nice to see the ’special relationship’ between our 2 countries is alive and well!! WTF does this have to do with hitler? Oh dear. Next time you need rescuing from a war, don’t bother calling us!

Pete, on August 4th, 2009 at 11:46 pm

Thats a great way for a cop to end up getting shot, stabbed or clubbed by a homeowner trying to protect himself/herself.

I don’t care if they claim to be a cop, anyone breaking into my home and stealing my property will be a stain on the wall.

Lance N., on August 5th, 2009 at 12:31 am

Baseball bat to the face 14 times followed by four bullets in the chest and two in the head. Problem solved. I think that will send a clear message to thieves.

raistlon, on October 29th, 2009 at 11:30 am