Locked phone ignored by Police officer

da_rule

The Police have no statutory responsibility to deal with lost and found items. In these times of cuts I would rather they were out trying to prevent and detect serious crimes rather than trawling through a disguarded phone.

If you were so concerned you could have checked the database yourself: https://www.checkmend.com/uk/

The PCSO told you he/she would not be dealing with it (including not checking their database). You had the option of throwing the phone in the bin (a suitable bin for electronic waste obviously) yet you opted to try and make money off of it.

PCSO’s and Police Officers are (quite rightly) given a certain level of autonomy in how they deal with matters. Therefore the PCSO you dealt with may have looked at the phone, thought it wasn’t high value/important enough to deal with when compared with the other matters that were also vying for his attention.

AndyMc.....

KatrinaWaves wrote: »

No one said it was illegal. (Except you...)

CEX can ban you because they don’t like your haircut.

The police or the PCSO have no responsibility to you and your CEX account. If you want to show CEX the letter and say ‘look I thought it was okay to do, here is the money back I got from you for the phone. Can I have my account back?’ They might let you off.

The police have literally nothing to do with you and CEX.

KatrinaWaves wrote: »

Yes a PCSO saying dispose of it definitely means sell it CEX...

its against CEX policy. The PCSO has absolutely no knowledge or control over that. Saying they don’t log lost property of low value so ‘do what you want’ is not ‘I take full responsibility for your account at cash converters...’

So the OP has done nothing wrong by trying to sell it

[Deleted User]

4rchibald wrote: »

Few keyboard warriors triggered.

Which of course was your intent so job done.

DigForVictory

da_rule wrote: »

you could have checked the database yourself: https://www.checkmend.com/uk/

That is new to me & is useful - thank you. Next time we're clearing up after a big Scout thing we can try to use that to get phones back to the right folks. Though we may have to buy a batch of checks to bring the price down.

Comms69

4rchibald wrote: »

Last year I found a mobile phone. It looked new and unused. No SIM card, no contacts, nothing to trace the owner, except 3 blurred photos.

I contacted local PCSO asking him to check if the phone was reported in their register. - Why do you think a PCSO is in anyway qualified to help you?

This is a low cost phone so I wanted to reunite it with the owner, but I was advised by the PCSO in writing that Police don't hold a record of any lost property and I should either dispose it or give it to a charity. - Which you didn't do.

After 3 months with no updates, I decided to sell it with other old equipment at local CEX. - It wasn't yours to sell

How surprised I was when staff told me, in front of other customers that my account has been banned due to locked (stolen/lost) phone I was trying to sell. - not surprising really is it

They only followed the procedure which I understand, but firstly my account is now banned and I won't be able to sell anything and secondly, I felt like a thief trying to sell stolen goods. - you were...

I have already reported this to the local police department, but I'm afraid that this will be ignored. - im sure they'll come arrest you shortly

Is there anything I can do to make sure this will be properly investigated and that I can get a statement from Police which I can forward to CEX to reopen or let me create new account? - You seem confused. You've committed a crime; you really want this investigated?

It's understandably a low value item, but I've always trusted police with found property but I'm affraid that due to ignorance of this PCSO (or any in that matter) some peope may get into a much bigger trouble.

Yes ignorant people tend to get into lots of trouble

powerful_Rogue

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

Really?........

Yup. Otherwise he would have said "Dispose of it how you see fit" rather then "Dispose of it or give it to charirty"

AndyMc.....

Comms69 wrote: »

Yes ignorant people tend to get into lots of trouble

You say he's a theif trying to sell stolen goods. What has the OP done that's dishonest?

elsien

If we're being pedantic, surely if it's not the OP's to sell, it's not theirs to otherwise dispose of or give to charity either?

AndyMc.....

elsien wrote: »

If we're being pedantic, surely if it's not the OP's to sell, it's not theirs to otherwise dispose of or give to charity either?

How many more steps should he reasonably take to find the owner?

elsien

None. Which is why I don't understand why he's being given a hard time by some other posters.