Theft victim: police haven’t got my clues

RAID victim . . . Paul Milner outside his shop in Hathershaw

A BUSINESSMAN says he has been let down by police after they failed to respond to a theft — despite having CCTV footage and a crucial lead.

Security cameras captured the moment a couple stole a £250 laptop from Positive IT Solutions, Ashton Road, Hathershaw at 10.30am on Friday, August 14.

Owner Paul Milner (34) reported the incident to police the following Monday but despite making numerous calls since he had still had no police response nearly two weeks later.

He has even done his own detective work by showing locals a picture of the couple and finding someone prepared to tell officers where they live.

The couple waited for a shop assistant to be distracted before taking the laptop.

Mr Milner said: “It’s all on CCTV as clear as day. They come trundling in and he puts the laptop under his coat and she steals the charger. We have all the evidence and the police don’t want to do anything about it.

“It’s really annoying that we have not had a response, especially when it’s an open and shut case.”

“If they had responded early enough we would probably have been able to recover it but now we won’t. Just because we have had a slow reaction from Oldham Police we are facing a loss.”

Ironically, at the time of the offence Police Community Support Officers were setting up a stall at a near-by community centre to tell the public “we are here to support you.”

The computer shop has been in business for three years, and at Ashton Road for six months, and is part of the Government’s Home Access scheme to provide laptops for disadvantaged families.

Mr Milner added: “It’s upsetting. We are a small business running a Government-funded project that’s here to help the community and when we have a theft the police don’t turn up.”

All police will tell Mr Milner is that the crime has not yet been allocated to an officer.

Neighbourhood Insp Alan Humphries said officers called the victim immediately after the crime was reported and agreed to collect the CCTV footage. He added: “The footage is being collected, and this will assist our ongoing inquiry.”