General Discussion
Come to Dawlish everything is for the taking.
From my vantage point i can see and hear most of what goes on at the bottom of the Strand. I have witnessed shoplifting from the co-op on a grand scale walk in walk out with something of course mostly booze it is a regular thing. The other night the co-op was burgled. They had forced open the exit doors and made of with who knows what. I was asked by the local police if i had seen or heard anything. What time did this happen i asked, 2am was the answer the alarms were going of inside the co-op and not outside so all was quiet. And if i had heard or seen anything i would not have bothered calling the police because it would have taken them two days to arrive. Last week the butchers was robbed of meat from the front of the shop. Apparently the suspect was apprehended but the police was accusing the perosn that stopped the person. So come to Dawlish everything is for the taking. Its also been reported in the newspaper some time ago that a person was in court on a drugs charge and he stated it's easier to get drugs in Dawlish than in London. I know all this sort of thing happens all over the country but is more obvious in a smaller community such as Dawlish. so in conclusion don't bother calling the police unless it effects you. Which of course it does in the form of higher prices. Sorry to rant on. To prove a point standing outside having a smoke someone just walked out of the co-op with a four pack of beer at 9:25. I went over and said you have been shoplifted again. I enquired that the shortages must be very high the cashier said in the past six months they have lost seventeen thousand pound at the last stock count. Amazing as it hurts everyone myself included.
You are quite right to"rant on". This morning a shopkeeper from Piermont Place had a group of lads in her shop, probably school kids who have finished exams at a loose end. While she was trying to assist them, they walked out with several items of clothing and when she followed them in the direction of Coryton Cove, they just ignored her. If we could have put a group of burly men together, we would have followed them and demanded they return the goods. When asked why she didn't report it, she said the police are not interested. So when all the shops in Dawlish have closed down, you will know the reason why.
It's the same everywhere. It's not a problem specific to Dawlish - but it's certainly got worse since the Tories slashed police numbers (whilst their local police commissioner earns a shitload of dollar every month for doing nothing but cause embarrassment).
The police station in Teignmouth was closed and sold to developer's to build luxury 'looking' flats. The satellite police shops that were outfitted at considerable expense in Dawlish/Teignmouth were deconstructed a short while ago. The rare time you see police officer's in Dawlish/Teignmouth is in their vehicles with the windows up.
The amount of crime that takes place in and around the co-op and The Lawn you thought the cctv that sits looking at the co-op and surrounding area would be a Godsend. from what I hear the Dawlish cctv system, paid for at considerable expense, has never been used to much effect.
I do not blame the officer's on the beat as they are severley overstretched whilst the inspector's and above lounge around in their quiet office's counting their fat pension's and pay packets.I would not be surpised if the headcount of all police officer's of inspector and above is higher than the number of beat officer's currently employed in the Southwest.
Only yesterday evening as I walked through The Lawn all the usual members of the Dawlish drinking/drugs club were spread around The Lawn. Who says generosity is dead, I was able to witness the rare site of one D.D & D.C member decanting some of his bottle of cider into a fellow members empty larger can... such a touching sight to see. Although I fear when all the cider in his bottle has gone he may well regret his alcoholic generosity!
This is just hearsay. I was told by a qualfied source, states that the local Dawlish Council say that having a police vehicle parked on the lawn gives a wrong impression to tourists. I'm really amazed how this country is run doesn't matter if it's Conservatives or Labour. These little enclaves like Dawlish there is no law and certainly no order. Noboby in authority couldn't care less, we have no law, we have no protection. If things continue with the co-op with their loss prevention becomes to high there could be a possibilty we could lose the co-op in Dawlish. Yes, i know we have Sainsbury's but not everyone have the abilty to get there. Although i have only been in Dawlish for five years after living in America for thirty years there is no comparison true, America has it's own problems and issues, but i can assure you if you called the police they would be on scene in a matter on minuets and shoplifters are prosecuted as it states in most stores "shoplifters will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law" but here just help yourself as nothing would happen. A decade down the road Dawlish will be a chost town. Sorry rant over again. do i make any sense or is it just me.
No, Brooklyn Bridge, it's not just you. I for one would much rather have the reassurance of seeing a police car parked in plain sight and this would probably act as a deterrent, to a certain extent. Of course, this also requires them to implement the law, something they seem curiously reluctant to do.