Helping with enquiries
Sir: Reading Jeffrey Bernard's and Jenny Forbes's comments (Low life, 5 July and Letters, 26 July) on the importance the police attach to the birth dates of victims of and witnesses to crimes, I am reminded of the curious case of the stolen statue.
Earlier this year a heavy statue was stolen from our garden. I called in the Sussex con- stabulary. At various times that afternoon we received three visits from agents of the Sussex CID. Statements were taken and measurements made. The next morning I was called to the phone. It was the police- man in charge. Progress, I thought, sus- pending disbelief. He told me he had just one question before he could write his report on the theft. 'Great,' I replied, eager to help bring the miscreants to book. But my hopes were dashed when he told me that it was just that he had forgotten to ask for my date of birth.
That was the last I heard of the incident but, ever since, I have wondered why the information was so crucial to his enquiries. Does anybody know?
Charles Gross
Cottage in the Wood, Turner's Hill Road, Crawley Down, West Sussex
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