h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A Crime Scene! Or Not?

Every writer of crime stories would probably like the opportunity to solve a real crime, but learn a bit about the business first and then write. Therefore I will set a crime scene! Any budding authors can take it from there, if they wish.

The first indication of a crime, incident or even a mere rumour may be a report in the Police Station telephone message book, either finishing up as a crime solved, a prosecution result, an entry in the occurrence book or with the latest technology just a bit of cyber space, if you can find it that is. Remember the Yorkshire Ripper the killer’s details were already in the computer, and a very efficient detective had made an entry,
“ This man should be seen again!” but no action was taken at the time. In the end, good-old-fashioned police work solved the case; because uniformed officers were in the right place at the right time.

IS IT A CRIME, OR IS IT NOT?

Anonymous phone calls to police stations used to be ignored, and when a telephone call was made to The British Transport Police early one morning it was entered in the telephone book and ignored, but not by everyone. A very competent detective decided that he would take a look at the information in detail and off he went to the scene of the crime, or not as the case may be.

On arrival at Bolton Passenger Station, Cliff the detective chatted to the staff, making no effort at all to find the source of information, but just quietly digging with his very sharp shovel, brain really! He established immediately that a young man was often seen late at night, examining the parcels stacked on the trucks on the platform and then catching the last local train. He had never been seen to actually steal a parcel, but the station staff were convinced that he was helping himself to the mail order parcels.

The following Saturday night, Cliff found his suspect and followed him home, ending up at an old farmhouse on the outskirts of Bolton. Cliff saw nothing to confirm the suspicions but he was not satisfied, and he continued to carry out his observations for three more Saturdays without success, so he decided to interview his suspect and either close his enquiry at this point or make an entry in the appropriate book, the crime or merely the occurrence one, his decision now is there a crime here, or not?

The young man was cooperative, and he invited Cliff into his house for a very late cup of tea, or a glass of wine if he wished. Cliff accepted the cup of tea and he trod very carefully and slowly, towards the reason for his late visit. “We have had our attention drawn to the fact that you spend a lot of time each Saturday night examining the mail order parcels on the platform at Bolton Station and your behaviour is highly suspicious. I have observed that the reports are correct and I would like to confirm your innocence if I can”

“ That’s all right you can have a look round if you want,” Cliff went into another room and it was stacked with mail order parcels from top to bottom! But before we get the handcuffs out take great care, because the young man said, “ I am an agent for all of the mail order companies and everything in here is addressed to me and it is paid for.” Cliff apologised for calling so late at night, before bidding his suspect “Good Night.” The mail order companies later confirmed that the information from the suspect was correct, but Cliff was still not satisfied and he??????

TO BE FINISHED AT A LATER DATE, BY WHO? INVITATIONS INVITED.