Riots

[CleverClogs]

Re: Riots

It's kicking off in West Brom now, up to 200 youths in hoodies smashing shop windows :tinysmile_cry_t:

Are you trying to stop it?

Mt advice would be - DON'T!!

[TUTTSI]

Re: Riots

http://www.channel4.com/news/blackbe...hinder-rioting
From Channel Four news

BlackBerry messenger 'curfew' considered to hinder rioting

Tuesday 09 August 2011
The instant messaging service on BlackBerry smartphones, thought to be used by London rioters to organise themselves, may be shut down at the request of the police tonight, as Benjamin Cohen reports.

Tottenham MP David Lammy is among those calling for the BlackBerry Messenger system (BBM for short) to be shut down tonight, in an attempt to prevent protesters using it to organise themselves.
Channel 4 News understands that there have been no requests from the Home Office to suspend the BBM service and that it would be unlikely to be something that Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry, would agree to in any case.
However, RIM told Channel 4 News that the company is currently assisting the police with requests for BBM information and data.
While social media outlets such as Twitter are, for the most part, searchable and accessible to the police, BBM is a closed system where users have to mutually agree to contact each other.
It's incredibly popular with teenagers because BBMs can be sent for free to anyone with a BlackBerry from anywhere in the world. BlackBerries are considerably cheaper than rival smartphones from Apple, or those running the Google Android system.
These two points mean that a lot of the teenagers taking part in the riots are BlackBerry users. An Ofcom report last week confirmed that BlackBerries are the most popular mobile devices among 16-24-year-olds.
Channel 4 News also understands that there have been no requests from the Home Office to suspend the BBM service and that it would in any case be unlikely to be something that RIM would agree to.







It is pretty clear that teenagers are using the "personal message" feature to add effective status updates - shared with all of their contacts - on which streets, shops or buildings to attack. This is rather like a Twitter update, except it is only seen by the people you wish to see it.
Similarly, users can create groups of their friends to send messages to, perhaps announcing a change in location, or to discuss what to do next. However, unlike Twitter, these conversations are completely private and therefore not available to the police.
The Regulatory Investigative Powers Act (RIPA) gives the police powers to request information from mobile phone companies and from the owners of BlackBerry - Research in Motion (RIM) - in order to detect and prevent crime. We understand that the police are accessing these messages.
There is some speculation that police may request RIM to switch off the BBM service during this evening, essentially creating some sort of curfew. However, sources pointed out to me that this could lead the rioters to switch to other forms of closed messages such as Facebook or the mobile app WhatsApp.






As it stands, should the police wish, they can in theory access the messages currently being sent using BBM. This may be harder with systems such as WhatsApp, a Silicon Valley-based company with no base in the UK, which means it may be harder to request information from it under RIPA legislation.
In a statement, Patrick Spence, managing director of global sales and regional marketing for RIM, said: "We feel for those impacted by this weekend's riots in London. We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can.
"As in all markets around the world where BlackBerry is available, we cooperate with local telecommunications operators, law enforcement and regulatory officials. Similar to other technology providers in the UK, we comply with The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and co-operate fully with the Home Office and UK police forces."

[TUTTSI]

Re: Riots

If your property has been damaged in any way during this period of unrest you must contact your insurers whether you are a buisness or an individual as you should be covered.


http://www.myfinances.co.uk/insuranc...re-you-covered

UK riots: Home and business insurance: Are you covered?


Riots in London and other cities in the UK caused widespread damage with major insurance implications
0 Tuesday, August 09, 2011 3:34 PM
By Ben Salisbury
The unprecedented scale of the riots in London and other major cities in the UK has left parts of the country resembling a battlefield and residents and the authorities are fearful of what to expect tonight.
David Cameron and other senior politicians have returned from their holidays and after a meeting of the COBRA security force this morning, David Cameron has announced that 16,000 police will be patrolling the capital tonight in a bid to stop the riots and looting.
Nick Starling, the Director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers has urged all individuals and businesses affected by the rioting to contact their insurance companies as soon as possible.
But many residents and businesses are unsure of where they stand in terms of cover for the damage to property and theft or destruction of goods and personal property. So, where do you stand if you are a business, homeowner or an individual affected by the riots?
The Association of British Insurers has said today that most households and business owners whose property has been damaged or destroyed by rioters should be covered by their insurance policies. The body says that home insurance policies should cover damage and loss caused by fire and looting and that the cost of alternative accommodation is likely to be covered.
Business owners who have commercial policies should also be covered for damage to property and loss of goods from looting. Additionally, most policies will provide a pay-out for loss of trade.
ABI has urged all those affected to get in touch with their insurance companies as soon as possible.
Emergency help
Individuals and businesses who do not have insurance are likely to face losses, though some help may be available from local authorities and charities, especially for those who cannot go back to their homes for the time being. Crisis loans are available for those who have to cover short-term costs. These loans will be repayable but won’t have interest charged on them.
The cost to insurers
Mr Starling said that it is too early to assess the full cost to insurers but he expected it to run into tens of millions of pounds. Many other commentators expect the full cost to be a lot higher than this and likely to be in the hundreds of millions of pounds bracket. This will also depend on whether there is more rioting over the coming days and weeks.
Insurance incident response teams are assessing the damage in some areas, though that is not possible in all areas affected as police are still treating certain sites as crime scenes and searching for evidence. Fire-fighters are also still dousing flames and attempting to bring fires under control at this time.
Mr Starling said in a statement released by the ABI: “We have every sympathy for residents and business owners who have suffered damage to their properties. This is a time of enormous stress for them and their insurers will be on hand to answer any questions that they may have. Home insurance should cover people for fire, looting or damage caused."
"Many policies will also cover people for accommodation costs if they can’t stay in their home. Most commercial insurance policies will cover businesses for damage to their premises, including the interruption to their business as a result.
"It is important for people to contact their insurer to check what they are covered for and arrange for immediate help."
Who foots the bill?
The full cost to insurers depends partly on whether the disturbances are classified as “civil unrest” under the terms of the riot act. If that is the case then insurers could recoup their costs from a special police fund.
Otherwise, many commercial insurance policies will cover losses to businesses. However, the definition of disorder does not affect whether individuals or businesses are covered. This only impacts on how insurers will be able to claim back costs from the authorities.
Steve Bartlett, head of household at Gallagher Heath Insurance Services said: “Just been told that any member of the public who wishes to make a claim against the police (if it is declared a riot by the Home Office) have to make it within 14 days.
“Standard household policies will cover damage as a result of riots, such as those we are currently seeing. There is no variation by region.
“For example, our policy covers loss or damage caused by “Riot, violent disorder, strike, labour disturbance, civil commotion or malicious acts”. The only specific exclusion for this cover is if the property is unoccupied.
“Cover for theft from individuals whilst they are away from the home will usually depend on whether they have taken the optional additional cover on their policy (previously termed “All Risks” but now more usually termed “Valuables and Personal Possessions Away From the Home”).”
Emma Banks from LV said: “LV= car, business and home insurance customers are covered against any damage to their properties or vehicles. Anyone who has been affected should contact us straightaway and we will make the relevant arrangements.
“Those home insurance customers who have been made homeless as a result of damage to their property will be re-homed immediately. Business customers will be covered for property damage, loss of stock, loss of earnings and making the property safe and secure.”
UK riots and insurance Q&A
I spoke to Richard Cowling, head of property at Gallagher Heath and asked him some frequently asked questions about how businesses and individuals are covered through their insurance policies:
Will business owners be covered for damage to their property?
Yes, if they have 'full perils' cover which includes Riot, Civil Commotion and Malicious Damage.
Are there any variations in cover over different regions?
Not for this type of eventuality
What are the most common exemptions in cover for riot-related damage?
Only the excess. For Riot to be the insured peril, police must declare a riot. However, if a riot isn't declared it will come under Civil Commotion or Malicious Damage
Will businesses be covered for the theft of goods from their premises?
All businesses are covered for theft.
Mohammad Khan, a partner at Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC) commented on the impact of the riots on future insurance costs for those affected.
He said: “It’s difficult to put a value on the cost of the damage as the scope and scale is still changing but, in relative terms, the financial impact on insurers will be small. There may be some specific increases in premium for the worst affected areas but, for customers nationwide, there is also too much competition for these events to have a significant impact.
“The key issue is how quickly insurers can deal with claims as many small businesses may not have the cashflow to survive without quick payments and more will not have business interruption insurance. The UK property and casualty insurance industry has learned lessons from previous events, such as floods, and now recognises it can demonstrate value and earn customer loyalty by processing claims quickly and efficiently.
"Customers may have to check the wording of their policies carefully. Generally events like riots are included within the terms of insurance but there may be exceptions to this.”

[TUTTSI]

Re: Riots

Pictures of some of the suspects from the London riots if anyone recognises them please inform the police.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14462271
England riots: Police release first CCTV suspect images

Police say they will be issuing further images of suspects as the investigation into rioting and looting in London progresses
Continue reading the main story UK Riots



Scotland Yard has released what it says will be the "first of many" CCTV images of suspects in the investigation into rioting across London over recent days.

[enaid]

Re: Riots

Can you help Greater Manchester Police identify the offender setting Miss Selfridge's on fire in Manchester city centre?

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[Luminol]

Re: Riots

I was supposed to be taking Daisy to Manchester Museum this week, but with one thing and another we didn't go and after seeing this video I think we had a lucky escape, especially after they shut off public transport, we would of been stranded there...

Manchester Riots

For once I'm glad Preston has a lot of Pound shops!

[CleverClogs]

Re: Riots

Can you help Greater Manchester Police identify the offender setting Miss Selfridge's on fire in Manchester city centre?

The arsonist seemed intent on stealing from the shop but, on finding his/her way blocked by the security grille, s/he set fire to one of the frocks on display.

I do not condone the arson, but that blaze could easily have been averted by the staff removing the dummies from the window display before they locked up yesterday.

I also recall that Lewis's store in Manchester was fitted throughout with automatic sprinklers, whereby a glass vial would break when the heat of a blaze reached it and thus the fire would be doused quickly. Why are such simple precautions not mandatory?

[leclerc]

Re: Riots

CC, on the tv there were a lot of dummies.....I think they were called looters!! The one holding up the shop window didn't bother to hide their face(clearly a big dummy).....

[EXC]

Re: Riots

Can you help Greater Manchester Police identify the offender setting Miss Selfridge's on fire in Manchester city centre?

Incompatible browser | Facebook

They showed that footage on Sky news and the commentator noted ''Whether through bravado or sheer stupidity, the culprit then turned to the camera and showed his face to the world''.

You've got to wonder just how bright these apprentice arsonists are.

[TUTTSI]

Re: Riots

Disgraceful 11 year old out looting, where was parential control?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...gistrates.html

London riots: 11-year-old boy appears before magistrates

An 11-year-old boy has appeared before magistrates, among scores of alleged rioters and looters.


A rioter in London poses in front of a burning van Photo: GETTY


3:59PM BST 10 Aug 2011


The boy, from Romford, Essex, who cannot be named, appeared at Highbury Corner Youth Court, where he admitted being part of a gang of youths who looted the town's Debenhams store on Monday night.

His appearance came as court staff ploughed through an influx of cases from recent riots in London.

Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court, in north London, sat throughout Tuesday night to deal with cases, and is likely to again on Wednesday.

Defendants ranged in age, from different parts of London. The boy was the youngest defendant to appear in Highbury today.

Wearing a blue ****** tracksuit, the youth spoke only to confirm his name, age and date of birth.

He pleaded guilty to burglary, after stealing a waste bin worth £50 from Debenhams. A charge of violent disorder was dropped.
During the brief hearing the court heard the boy has already been given a referral order after being convicted of a separate offence just last week. No details of the conviction were given.
Prosecutor Steven Davis told the court: "This was 10.30pm on Monday evening with a background of serious violence in Romford.
"Police saw a group of 20-30 youths who were approaching large stores, breaking windows and looting.
"They saw Debenhams had had its windows broken and they saw [the boy] approach the window that had been smashed, lean in, take a waste bin and run off with it."
He said when police stopped the boy, he said: "I was just taking it to pass on to somebody else."
Mr Davis said the bin was worth £50. The damage to the windows was £6,000 but it is not alleged the boy broke them.
Defending the 11 year-old, Vicky Thompson said he was given a referral order after being convicted last Wednesday, but it had not even begun yet.
She asked for a pre-sentence report to be carried out before the boy is sentenced.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Riots

Mr Davis said the bin was worth £50.

How much?

Was it gold plated?

[TUTTSI]

Re: Riots

Gold plated or not, why was this kid was allowed out to commit this crime? only last week he was convicted for another crime that he had already committed. Where were the parents, he is 11 years old and should not be out roaming the streets.

I do hope that he gets a curfew and is tagged and his parents get a nice big fine or imprisonment or both as they must be held accountable.

How much?

Was it gold plated?

[EXC]

Re: Riots

The not-too-bright arsonist who set fire to Miss Selfridge was arrested this afternoon.

And the injured boy who was mugged is in hospital but at least they've arrested one of the culprits.

[Boxerdog8]

Re: Riots

This is civil disorder, that needs to be contained. But I can not help thinking what type of morals these children/young people were raised in? how much is gang related; young children are imature, they are easily led and often speak without thinking and act without considering of the consequence, what every your views there needs to be something done for a small generation who are loss. For the older men organising their acts, one way flight to the famine...........or Albania, there are men there that will really sort them out!

Any police reading this, thank you.

[WendyB]

Re: Riots

It's kicking off in West Brom now, up to 200 youths in hoodies smashing shop windows :tinysmile_cry_t:

Well I don't know about 200 youths, the nearest thing to a crowd I saw was 2 pensioners in the bus stop

Apart from that, there was a car and a van set on fire at the top of the High Street. Most of the shops in the town had closed early anyway. Except for the bookies I was scheduled to work in..... but we didn't see any trouble.