Paranoid in the New Forest?

[1963cockney]

This is a bit of a ramble, but bear with me….

In my car, I carry a notice that I put in the windscreen, when I leave my car at any of my permissions that says “Danger - Vermin Shoot in progress, in case of query or concern contact Andy on xxxxx”
The idea is that if anyone was to go on to the premises (although they should check with the land owner 1st who would notify me), they will at least be aware I am on site.

I was at a local permission Friday night, and I tend to park outside this farm, against the gates to the public car park (The Farm owner has land both side of this road). This is for a couple of reasons :–
1. Not many people are aware, but the farmer has a CCTV Camera pointed at the entrance
2. I would need to open multiple gates and keep getting in and out of the car if I bought the vehicle inside the main area of the farm as it were.

I was sitting in the barn, minding my own business, when I received a call from a Police Officer saying they had received a report my vehicle had been seen hitting a road sign then driving away with the bumper hanging off.
The officer was outside the farm so I went out to meet him (without the rifle).

My car was there and intact. When I asked where this accident was supposed to have happened, he confirmed – “here at Longdown”. There was no damage to the car and I said I could provide CCTV footage if necessary to prove when I arrived and that the car hadn’t moved since (The farmer even phoned me whilst I was talking to the police to ask what was going on as he was watching on the camera).

The Officer then asked “do you know any reason someone would report this?” To which I answered “I have no idea”.
We left it at that and I went back to sit in the barn, to wait for Roland to make an appearance.

I assumed it was a case of mistaken identity and mentioned this to the family the following day at breakfast. Then my 19 year old daughter piped up “maybe someone doesn’t like shooting and thought that if the police turned up, they could find something wrong with your car”.

As it happens, the car was MOT’d on 1st June so no issue there, but the fact the Officer did give the car a good look over, has now got be thinking. Was it a case of mistaken identity (although they quoted my car make, colour and registration) or possibly an anti?

It does make you think.

I may have to start parking inside the farm, or change the sign to say something along the lines of “On land, with permission. Contact Andy on xxx”

I just wished I had asked if it was an anonymous call …I didn’t think about it at the time.

Do any of you put anything in your cars to warn people what you are doing on site?
Thanks
Andy

[Murphy]

I wouldn't put anything in my car ever.

Its nobody else's business what I am doing on private land.

[bighit]

And next time you could come back to a trashed car and only hooded people caught on cctv.

[fieldandtarget]

Surprised you didn't realise it was malicious what happened
The police should charge whoever went out of their way to do this with wasting police time.maybe you should get back in touch with them?
Personally I wouldn't advertise what I was doing.It would be so easy to be followed home...

[where's it gone]

A lot of hassle because you advertised that you were shooting. Live and learn, but did you get 'Roland' ?

[vestlenning]

Best not leave any note on the car in the furure.

[phil384]

Surprised you didn't realise it was malicious what happened
The police should charge whoever went out of their way to do this with wasting police time.maybe you should get back in touch with them?
Personally I wouldn't advertise what I was doing.It would be so easy to be followed home...

If only. There has be be certain amount of time and resources wasted for it to meet the threshold, and it's a lot. Something like this wouldn't meet it. No chance. even if it did, the police don't give the authority to charge, the CPS do. And getting them charge anybody with anything, particularly something like wasting police time is difficult.

[fieldandtarget]

If only. There has be be certain amount of time and resources wasted for it to meet the threshold, and it's a lot. Something like this wouldn't meet it. No chance. even if it did, the police don't give the authority to charge, the CPS do. And getting them charge anybody with anything, particularly something like wasting police time is difficult.

A police caution?

[phil384]

A police caution?

Isn't a charge

[Sv rider]

I have to leave my car in the entrance to fields in very rural locations. So I always put a note in the car saying I'm watching you now back off you have been warned. but I put it on the passanger seat so it only aimed at people that look in the car.

[fieldandtarget]

Isn't a charge

I know...But still wouldn't want one.

[Jonjon79]

Unfortunately, in this day and age, It's better to be discreet and make sure your arse is well and truly covered.

... There's always some snide little prick that'll try to cause trouble for you if they don't agree with your perfectly legal activities.

Sad but true.

[subaru swift]

Unfortunately, in this day and age, It's better to be discreet and make sure your arse is well and truly covered.
... There's always some snide little prick that'll try to cause trouble for you if they don't agree with your perfectly legal activities.

Sad but true.

^^ Spot on ! ^^

I wouldn't leave a note in my car \ vehicle saying what I was doing these days.

[piggy589]

I used to park and unload at the end of a bridleway leading to a farmer friend's land.

A couple living opposite would sometimes stop dead gardening for example and stare, hands on hips at me, "What?" I thought.

To this day I've no idea why,the only thing displayed on my windscreen was a BASC decal.

[1963cockney]

All the above points are perfectly valid.

As a direct result of the sign, I have been challenged a couple of times over the years by people who were keeping an eye on the premises for the landowners. Once they knew the reason my car was parked on "private" land there was no issue. Fair play to them for checking - particularly as a couple of them have had stuff stolen over the years, so a car they didn't recognise, parked somewhere "unusual" would warrant a "look-see".

Simple solution is to park within the confines of the main farm. OK its a pain opening and closing gates, but on reflection, the car would be that much safer and if anyone was to enter the farm, the fact that a car was on site may be enough for them to realise someone is there and if they were to be thinking of wandering around to see what is not nailed down, it may deter them, particularly as there are security light sensors in operation (that keep being set of by the damn badger that follows me around!

At the end of the day, no damage done (this time)....