Call the police

My alarm went at 6:30. I got up and headed for the bathroom to have a shower. And saw something move outside! I did a double take. It was man! Climbing over a fence into the neighbour's garden! Not 'the' neighbour; this was the garden of a house on the next street downstream. The garden touch in the middle. But this didn't look at all like the lady who lives there. I saw him walk through the garden, scale the roof of an outbuilding on the other side, and vanish from sight. What to do? I first thought this must be someone who had forgot he key of the gate or something; it was broad daylight! A burglar wouldn't be around at this time. But the I remembered it was just after 6:30. Quite a lot of people would still be asleep! So this wasn't right. And I figured the police needed to know. But it didn't seem overly urgent. I phoned 101.

They didn't answer. The recorded message did mention you can report things online. I had a look on the website, but it said that if a suspect was actually on the scene, or there was risk of damage to property, one should phone 999. So I did! And I got a call handler. She said she'd put me through to the police. That took a while. It sounded like she was trying very many lines before someone picked up! Budget cuts, I imagine. The person who finally answered the phone struggled to hear what I was saying, and wondered if she was on speaker phone. She wasn't! But I managed to explain the situation to her, and even give her my name (thanks Margot Robbie for making the name more famous!) She said she'd send someone over and I thanked her. And had that shower. With the roller blinds closed. And then had breakfast. 

Then I saw more movement outside. In my garden, this time! But it was a cop! Maybe he had knocked the front door and I hadn't heard. I let him in. I showed him where I had seen the person. He was going to have a look around. But by now the trespasser could be miles away! Oh well. I suppose it's good these things are reported. If someone finds someone in my garden who clearly doesn't belong there I hope they phone the cops too!



PS the same thing happened two days later! But then I also saw him come back, only minutes later. What on Earth is there beyond that outbuilding?