11 April 2012
Its funny how the same faces pop up.. Everyday like a game,the same people roll through the doors.. I cant help but like some of societies outcasts.. Take Bob ( Not his teal name ) Bob has been a heroin user for years, starting when he was 15. His usual haunts are Tesco's, Morrisons etc.. As a profession if you ask him, he would say he is a 'professional' shoplifter. Bob has 4 children, another on the way. As a regular addict he has a £200 a day habit.. His favourite items to steal are cheese, ham and coffee.. These he sells door to door at the going rate of only a third of the value..So to feed his habit he needs to steal around £600 a day. I first met Bob when i was a rookie. I was sat in house carrying out a neighbourhood survey. The doorbell rang and the home owner stood up to go answer the door, only to return and say ' Its for You'.. I went to the door and there stood Bob... Bags of wine bottles in hand. The look of shock on his face when greeted by me was a picture.. He was polite enough on the way to the station, and so started our working 'relationship'.. Unfortunately Bob is not the sharpest tool in the box.. Take when i had him in for 5 packs of processed cheese.. Before interview i asked how his mrs was and how the kids were doing.. Turn the tapes on and its down to business.. Did you do it?, ' No Comment'.. I then show him the CCTV, clearly showing him walking in and shoving the cheese inside his coat.. 'Its not me', comes the reply.. 'Bob, i know its you. You've got the same jacket on you always wear. Your wearing it now sat in front of me!'
'Not me' he said.
And the female seen walking in with you... Thats your Mrs'..
'She could have lent my jacket to someone', Bob insists..
'Who did she lend it to?'
'Errr, No-one'..
' Bob, when i called around to pick you up, your Mrs said ' I told you should have put the cheese back'.
'Alright, Alright... Yeah, it was me'
I then turn to a key ring found on Bob.. The keyring had a toffee hammer and a small pair of pliers, the kind of item used for cutting off security tags. 'Bob, whats this for?'.. 'Its for breaking up toffee and doing DIY' he replies.
'Bob, you've got no teeth so i know you don't eat toffee, and as for the pliers... You don't do DIY, i've been to your house and even your Mrs says so.'
'Yeah, well, i keep it as its useful'
'Bob... Last question.. Why's there no keys on this key ring then?'
The last time i saw Bob i stopped him as usual. 'I've given it all up' he says. 'Good for you' i reply.. As i begin to carry out the search his Mrs suddenly appears running towards me screaming. 'Leave him alone, he hasn't done anything'.. As she continues, she suddenly stops and looks down at the items pulled from Bobs pockets. Mrs Bob immediately see's a few needles and a pair of new cheap plimsoles. 'Bob, whats this?' she asks.. In that way you know is the pre-cursor to and an argument brewing. 'I thought you said you had stopped.. You dirty junkie..Thats it get inside now'.. And with that she grabs him by the scruff and frog marches him off.. For once i could see in his eyes he would have rather gone with me.
I haven't seen bob for a while.. Last i heard he tried to move up in the world by holding up a local shop using a rock as a weapon. Stupid thing was the staff told him they couldn't open the till unless he bought something, so he walked back out again. He was picked up quickly as it was his local
I hate to say it but in some ways i do miss Bob, he certainly added colour to my day..
BOB • Opuss № I