Shropshire Routes to Roots

5. Local Crime Detection

The Dawley Perspective

As Police Forces became more and more professional, their systems took on a similarity of appearance, which remained virtually unchanged up to the advent of the computer in the late Twentieth Century. One such system was the method of recording crimes and their detection. The "Crime Book" was the local method of recording. It was laid out with details of the offence, the injured party or victim, the offender, if caught, and any sentence a court may have given. Alongside is an extract from the Dawley Crime Book (Opens in a new window) for the period 11th October to 5th December 1899.

The Dawley Crime Book, 1899 (West Mercia Police Archives) Images and transcriptions in a new window [46kb]

The Thief Trap

Whilst the new Police Forces were finding their feet, victims often took the law into their own hands. One such humourous incident took place in Oswestry towards the latter part of the Victorian era.

A well known Oswestry trader, who was known as a bit of a joker, also ran a very well kept vegetable plot on the edge of town. He was, however, subjected to midnight raids and lost a considerable amount of his produce.

On examining the plot, he realised that the invaders were using a gap in the hedge. He therefore dug a deep trench just inside the hedge and filled it with liquid manure. He then covered it with grass clippings so that it took on the appearance of the nearby meadow.

The following morning, he was not surprised to see a local man up to his neck in the trench, with the sticky manure holding him fast. He had apparently been after the onions in the plot. It was not recorded what happened to the unfortunate would-be thief, but the story got around and the midnight raids soon ceased!

Continue

Return to top of page