Police question: time taken to involve media in identifying possible crims

[Sergeant Pluck]

I know there are those in yacf familiar with the workings of the police service and much else.

I was reading this story today, in which some jogger pushes a woman into the path of a bus. I rarely find cause to praise London bus drivers, but this one did well to react as they did:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/08/police-search-for-jogger-who-knocked-woman-into-path-of-bus

The incident occurred on the 5th of May. Why so long before the video was made public and the appeal put out? Time taken to get footage? Exploring other avenues?

As an aside, I find it remarkable that the man concerned ran back across Putney Bridge later in his run.

[Wowbagger]

Having seen video footage of the event, it was pretty obvious that the push was deliberate. It wasn't an accidental barge of someone who stepped into his way: he swerved towards her before contact was made.

[Polar Bear]

There was plenty of space to pass safely as well.

[loadsabikes]

What a pleasant individual

[Torslanda]

It reminds me of something I saw in a TV programme many years ago.

Stratford Johns, dressed all in black with a long overcoat, crossing a bridge over a river (reminiscent of the bridge over the Ouse near York Minster) picked up a child and threw him over the parapet into the river and carried on as if nothing had happened . . .

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

It reminds me of something I saw in a TV programme many years ago.

Stratford Johns, dressed all in black with a long overcoat, crossing a bridge over a river (reminiscent of the bridge over the Ouse near York Minster) picked up a child and threw him over the parapet into the river and carried on as if nothing had happened . . .

Since you mention York (the bridge nearest the Minster is Lendal




although Ouse Bridge




and Skeldergate

Bridges aren't far away and upstream is Scarborough Bridge


), I would say that the York Press also carries stories asking help in ID-ing suspects long after the crime occurred. 

Usually with comments below that usually ask the same question but no one has answered it that I know.

 

[Mr Larrington]

It reminds me of something I saw in a TV programme many years ago.

Stratford Johns, dressed all in black with a long overcoat, crossing a bridge over a river (reminiscent of the bridge over the Ouse near York Minster) picked up a child and threw him over the parapet into the river and carried on as if nothing had happened . . .

"Brond", IIRC

[Sergeant Pluck]

Having seen video footage of the event, it was pretty obvious that the push was deliberate.

No doubt about it.

My question remains: why 3 months?

[andrewc]

It reminds me of something I saw in a TV programme many years ago.

Stratford Johns, dressed all in black with a long overcoat, crossing a bridge over a river (reminiscent of the bridge over the Ouse near York Minster) picked up a child and threw him over the parapet into the river and carried on as if nothing had happened . . .

"Brond", IIRC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWT0i4ZKTVU  3:03  , and that's a very young John Hannah.

[PaulF]

Looks like someone has been arrested http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40889511

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

It reminds me of something I saw in a TV programme many years ago.

Stratford Johns, dressed all in black with a long overcoat, crossing a bridge over a river (reminiscent of the bridge over the Ouse near York Minster) picked up a child and threw him over the parapet into the river and carried on as if nothing had happened . . .

"Brond", IIRC

Yup that fits.



The actual bridge was in Glasgow, Gibson Street Bridge over the River Kelvin.  The blue car in the background is a rare Vauxhall Belmont.

Looks like someone has been arrested http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40889511

That's good.

[Greenbank]

Looks like someone has been arrested http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40889511

And released because they were in the US at the time.

A second person (also 41) has been arrested (and subsequently released): http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=concrime341f.htm

[woollypigs]

My question remains: why 3 months?

It would be smarter to put this out rather fast so that it is clean in peoples/witness minds. Even if I saw that three months down the line I would have had a hard time remembering what clothing either wore. And IF the numpty did something elsewhere to someone else that I saw, three months down the line I wouldn't be able to link the two.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'd have expected that more detailed CCTV images would have been obtained along his route.

But I suppose most are deleted within a short time.

I'd still dearly love to know what methods the police were using to ID this man in the 3 months prior to putting the video out to the media. Or if any methods were being used.

[Polar Bear]

The police have probably resisting recording this as a crime because it would be better for stats to show reduced levels of crime rather than low clear up rate.

I know I'm being cynical but my involvement with the Warwickshire constabulary on numerous occasions has influenced my thinking.

Soft on crime, tough on the reporters of crime.

[ian]

Looks like someone has been arrested http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40889511

And released because they were in the US at the time.

A second person (also 41) has been arrested (and subsequently released): http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=concrime341f.htm

Maybe they're just arresting random white men in the hope they get the right one? To date, that seems to have been policy for black men, so it's a natural extension.

It doesn't exactly fill you with confidence that it takes three months (and I expect some pressure) before they take someone being shoved under a bus seriously. Mind you, had it been a cyclist they wouldn't have bothered at all.

[hellymedic]

The police have probably resisting recording this as a crime because it would be better for stats to show reduced levels of crime rather than low clear up rate.
Soft on crime, tough on the reporters of crime.

Ain't that the TRUTH?

[Adam]

I'd have expected that more detailed CCTV images would have been obtained along his route.

But I suppose most are deleted within a short time.

I'd still dearly love to know what methods the police were using to ID this man in the 3 months prior to putting the video out to the media. Or if any methods were being used.

I thought it odd that the released footage was from the bus in front, not from the bus which narrowly missed the woman who'd been pushed.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The man was running in the direction the buses were moving, so CCTV from the rear of the bus in front probably gave more view of him.

[Sergeant Pluck]

It doesn't exactly fill you with confidence that it takes three months (and I expect some pressure) before they take someone being shoved under a bus seriously. Mind you, had it been a cyclist they wouldn't have bothered at all.

Aside from the nature of the crime itself and my hope that justice is done, my interest in this does tie in with my impressions in relation to crimes against cyclists - hit and runs. I mean, if you can’t find this guy, who has probably had CCTV covering most of his run to and from home - he ran back across Putney Bridge FFS and he doesn’t look like a marathon runner - then what hope is there.

[Sergeant Pluck]

And another new image released yesterday 



How crap is that picture?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Could the slow, or staggered, release of images be in order to keep public interest up? It could be that the images aren't really much help in getting members of the public to identify someone, but keeping the story alive shows the police are still pursuing the case, might jog someone's memory and keeps pressure on the criminals.