Skip to main content

Cause for offence

A British woman called the police to report that her scarecrow had been stolen, only to discover that the scarecrow had in fact been taken into custody by the police. The offending scarecrow had been placed outside a village dressed in a high visibility jacket and a police uniform, to highlight a scarecrow festival in the village.
March 1, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A British woman called the police to report that her scarecrow had been stolen, only to discover that the scarecrow had in fact been taken into custody by the police. The offending scarecrow had been placed outside a village dressed in a high visibility jacket and a police uniform, to highlight a scarecrow festival in the village. The local police had been informed that this would take place and had given their approval. However when police drove past they spotted that the scarecrow also sported a fake radar detector made of cardboard. Realising that the fake cardboard radar gun posed a safety potential hazard and could have caused passing drivers to become alarmed, the police rushed the offending scarecrow into a police vehicle and took it to the local police station. A spokesperson explained that impersonating a police officer is an offence and added that the scarecrow sent an inappropriate message to motorists. The scarecrow maker commented that the fake radar gun was actually intended to encourage motorists to slow down.

Related Content

  • Switzerland’s new tunnel bore being built
    April 19, 2018
    A major new road tunnel project is being constructed in Switzerland – Mike Woof writes Construction work is now underway in Switzerland for the new Belchen Tunnel bore, a project that has resulted from the country’s long-term infrastructure planning. The building of this latest tunnel is important for Switzerland economically as it will deliver an upgraded link for a major transport infrastructure connection. When it is complete, the tunnel will form part of the vital A2 route between Basel, in the north
  • Police call fortougher alcohol limits for UK drivers
    May 20, 2015
    The British Police Federation calling for the blood alcohol limit to be lowered. This call has also been backed by the campaigning road safety charity, Brake as well as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA). Evidence from Scotland where the drink driving limit was lowered during 2014 has shown a reduction in drink driving offences. This move would bring the UK into line with other European countries with regard to alcohol limits by reducing the level from the current 80mg/100ml of blood
  • UK drivers least likely to use their phones, notes Aviva survey
    June 13, 2017
    A survey of drivers in 13 countries found that UK drivers are least likely to say that they have used a phone while driving. Just over 10,000 drivers in Europe, North America and Asia were questioned in Aviva’s latest Consumer Attitudes Survey.
  • Clean screen
    February 24, 2012
    A British woman discovered that the windscreen washer fluid in her Toyota had run out, so she stopped at a filling station for a refill. However the air and water dispensers were out of order and when she asked inside the filling station, was told that she was not allowed a bucket of water to refill the fluid reservoir or wash her windscreen as this contravened the firm's health and safety policy. Using a cloth she managed to clear the screen sufficiently to allow her to drive 3km to another filling station