A police force has branded a woman "completely irresponsible" after she phoned 999 - to report a stolen snowman.
The woman thought it needed police attention because it had £1 coins for eyes and teaspoons for arms.
The caller, from Chatham, Kent, has been "spoken to" by officers to advise her about what counts as a real emergency.
When the operator realises the bizarreness of the call, the operator chastises the woman for calling an emergency line over something trivial.
Woman rings 999 over snowman
STAFF REPORTER
Published: 03 Dec 2010
The Sun
Chilling call ... stolen snowman caused 999 alert
STUNNED police officers have branded a woman "completely irresponsible" — after she phoned 999 to report a stolen SNOWMAN.
Cops said she thought it needed their involvement because she had used pound coins for the eyes and teaspoons for the arms.
Now the caller, from Chatham, Kent, has been "spoken to" by officers to advise her about what counts as a real emergency.
Kent Police issued a transcript of the call which they received overnight as they fielded thousands more from people due to the sub-zero conditions.
In it the woman tells the operator: "There's been a theft from outside my house.
"I haven't been out to check on him for five hours but I went outside for a fag and he's gone."
The operator asks "Who's gone?" and the woman replies: "My snowman.
"I thought that with it being icy and there not being anybody about, he'd be safe."
The incredulous operator asks her: "Do you mean an ornament?" The woman replies: "No, a snowman made of snow, I made him myself.
"It ain't a nice road but you don't expect anybody to nick your snowman."
The operator then tells her that it is an emergency line and she should not be ringing it to report the theft of a snowman.
Kent Police received more than 8,000 general and 999 calls in 48 hours, double the normal amount.
Chief Inspector Simon Black said: "We do have powers to prosecute people for misusing the 999 system, but in this case the woman genuinely thought this was a theft that she should report because she'd used pound coins for the eyes and teaspoons for the arms.
"This call could have cost someone's life if there was a genuine emergency and they couldn't get through. It was completely irresponsible.
"We have spoken to her and advised her what is a 999 call, and this clearly was not."
thesun.co.uk
The woman thought it needed police attention because it had £1 coins for eyes and teaspoons for arms.
The caller, from Chatham, Kent, has been "spoken to" by officers to advise her about what counts as a real emergency.
When the operator realises the bizarreness of the call, the operator chastises the woman for calling an emergency line over something trivial.
Woman rings 999 over snowman
STAFF REPORTER
Published: 03 Dec 2010
The Sun
Chilling call ... stolen snowman caused 999 alert
STUNNED police officers have branded a woman "completely irresponsible" — after she phoned 999 to report a stolen SNOWMAN.
Cops said she thought it needed their involvement because she had used pound coins for the eyes and teaspoons for the arms.
Now the caller, from Chatham, Kent, has been "spoken to" by officers to advise her about what counts as a real emergency.
Kent Police issued a transcript of the call which they received overnight as they fielded thousands more from people due to the sub-zero conditions.
In it the woman tells the operator: "There's been a theft from outside my house.
"I haven't been out to check on him for five hours but I went outside for a fag and he's gone."
The operator asks "Who's gone?" and the woman replies: "My snowman.
"I thought that with it being icy and there not being anybody about, he'd be safe."
The incredulous operator asks her: "Do you mean an ornament?" The woman replies: "No, a snowman made of snow, I made him myself.
"It ain't a nice road but you don't expect anybody to nick your snowman."
The operator then tells her that it is an emergency line and she should not be ringing it to report the theft of a snowman.
Kent Police received more than 8,000 general and 999 calls in 48 hours, double the normal amount.
Chief Inspector Simon Black said: "We do have powers to prosecute people for misusing the 999 system, but in this case the woman genuinely thought this was a theft that she should report because she'd used pound coins for the eyes and teaspoons for the arms.
"This call could have cost someone's life if there was a genuine emergency and they couldn't get through. It was completely irresponsible.
"We have spoken to her and advised her what is a 999 call, and this clearly was not."
thesun.co.uk
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