Just had a thought. What law, exactly, allows the police to decide that ordinary household items are weapons, and confiscate them? There can’t possibly be such a law. At least I hope there isn’t.
it was called a cosh or mace back then.
You would be surprised how many people have a baseball bat in the uk, but don’t have a ball.
When I smoke weed (in case anyone from the government is reading this: very occasionally and only in places where recreational consumption is legal), I just want to get some KFC or other high protein meals.
I believe the rise in stabbings is because cheap knives are readily available everywhere these days. Back in the days, we had a few good knives in the kitchen. These things would last for decades. These days every small corner shop sells knives made in Vietnam for NT$50. You use them twice for cooking and they become blunt. Useless for cooking, so I guess people need to find another use.
Going equipped for what, though? If a career burglar is picked up with a screwdriver in his pocket, the police have reasonable cause for arrest, but not (surely?) to confiscate the item and then send him on his way. Apart from anything else, it would be futile. It’s not like screwdrivers have to be obtained on the black market.
if they have a viable reason to have it then it ok, but if he is hanging around without reason with tools they can be confiscated. This applies to every one, and if the item is not illegal or being investigated for possible use in a crime, you can go claim it back.
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Depending on the situation if they feel your up to no good they can use this to take you in for questioning. Also your on record, so if you was planning something its not going to be easy to get away with.
Soon you’ll need a license to have a kitchen knife.
That’s reasonable enough. My point was that you’re either under suspicion of going equipped or you’re not. There is not (as far as I’m aware) some legal Schrodinger’s Cat scenario where you can be simultaneously going equipped and also entirely innocent, where the paradox is resolved by taking away the equipment. The police either arrest you, or they let you go on your way.
If I’m wrong about that then the law is more of an ass than I thought.
I lived on the Stonebridge Estate about 25 years ago. Taxis wouldn’t enter the estate. If you had a problem that required the council to send a workman round, they would only come once a private dog patrol came with them. I was stabbed once. I moved. I was on a night bus going home one night and a tramp started talking to me, he asked where I lived I told him. He laughed at me for where I lived saying ‘when you hit rock bottom the only way is up’. It was without a doubt the roughest place I have ever lived. A screwdriver there is a weapon 100%
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What if they find someone on the street in an area where there has been a string of burglarys. he says he was just waiting for his friend to pick him up, but in his bag he has a few tools. He says he’s going to give them to his friend so he can do some work.
The police have no reason to believe or disbelieve him, but have a duty to protect the people who have been robbed. So can decide to take the tools to be returned later. The law would be used as grounds to to confiscate and retain the tools.
But that fails both ways.
- If he’s out on a burglary, he’d just pop down to Tesco and buy another screwdriver (or whatever).
- If he’s an actual tradesman, all you’ve done is alienated a law-abiding member of the public.
In addition, if he’s a suspect - however unlikely the possibility that it’s him responsible for those known burglaries - then he should be taken in for questioning. Otherwise, you’ve missed an opportunity to put a stop to the crime wave.
I’m pretty sure there is no such law. How would it even be framed?
If someone is carrying a weapon then they should be charged with a crime, and at minimum they’d receive a caution. AFAIK the police don’t have to refer things like this to the CPS for authority to charge.
In the UK at least, the police don’t have the authority to take stuff (even temporarily) unless there is a crime involved. For historical reasons, UK police have surprisingly limited powers.
That’s the human element of police work, it’s they type of decision they make every day.
It would be framed exactly as the law above, and it is used in this way and for this reason.
If a person is found to have a weapon without a proper reason they can and most likely be charged. (what can be classed as a weapon is anyone’s guess)
Almost true, they have powers of seizure if they have “reasonable grounds” that a crime has been or will be committed. It falls under the PACE act.
Going equipped is a crime so that can confiscate items, or they can choose to believe you story and let you be.
The Pace act also covers the baseball bat, and the kitchen knives as these have the potential to be used in a crime.
But don’t worry they won’t just confiscate your coat because they are cold.
As my mother used to say.
If your going to do someone in with a baseball bat, remember to take a ball with you as well, so you don’t get it taken off you on the way. 
Even more have cricket bats. They’re quite handy as you can use the flat side just to cause pain and use the edge to break bones if needed. If you’re pulled over you just say " morning old chap just off to cricket officer " rather than being questioned with a baseball bat and saying something like “I’m goin play base ball in it , I knowS my rights now stop fuckin harassin us mate, in it”
The rozzers a’l just ask why your playing Rounders
Do people even play baseball in the UK?
Hilarious reply. Yeah they’re very useful. I guess the ball could be handy too, you could “bowl someone out”. And might as well just bring the the wicket too for close quarters combat. If pulled over you’d have a very strong case to say you were actually going to play cricket !
bowled out
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I avoid reading UK news but it is quite scary how often stabbing happens here.
Not joking about Knife crime , but that reminded me of this . @ 2.06
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