Racist element here? (not on the board btw)I hope he seeks legal advice because I'd have gone berserker if I was him.
No evidence it was a racist incident Valley - none at all in fact. Looks like somebody needs better training. In the meantime I'd sue their pants off and give the proceeds to charity.
Surrey police always handcuff suspected shoplifter!!!! There again young white men wouldn't do that sort of thing. Racist, racist, racist.
I think that there are grounds to question whether this was racist motivated, after all we know the English police are racist, and the Met has been in the dock too many times over its officers being racist, how the hell can you firstly phone the police over a tub of cheese? Then secondly how the hell do you arrest and handcuff someone over a tub of cheese? Talk about being well over the top, Tesco's are already in meltdown (Great to see), and this just shows how stupid their staff are! As for surrey police, well their no better than Hampshire police, or the rest of the country for that matter, it amazed me that Hampshire police issued a European arrest warrant for the King family, a definite abuse of power, but then when it comes to real police work the buggers are no where to be seen as in Rotherham! Hope he sues Tesco's and the Police for wrongful arrest!....................
Not racist, I just know the county well. Generally have a problem with the Welsh too (or anyone who sounds like they a from 'away').
Lets be honest, something else must have happened that we are not privy too for them to have felt the need to handcuff him. And I also dislike how easily some on here are brandishing the racist card......why have you noticed something about Caulker to make you think racism.....I just see a bloke who was handcuffed in confusion, or would it be ok only if the police went around accidentally arresting white folk. That way you couldn't brandish the racist card just because they accidentally arrest someone who isn't white?
It isn't playing a racist card when race is the issue. (Try speaking in a Welsh accent in a shop or pub in Bagshot, Croydon or Guilford and you'll get an idea of the locals' view of 'outsiders'.) To me, it sounds very much like Caulker was treated the way Surrey police often treat athletic, 6' 3" black men - with fear and prejudice. How would you react if you were falsely accused of theft? Maybe he didn't accept the judge and jury situation supermarkets apply when they don't like the look of someone. Still no need to be handcuffed. If someone is handcuffed they will have almost always have caused a serious and immediate threat to others or themselves; in which case he would almost certainly have been charged with a secondary offence such as resisting arrest, refusing to give a name, affray, assault. None of that happened. The cost of the item he was accused of failing to pay for (didn't happen) was less than £2! OK so theft is theft but don't tell me police need to be called every time someone tries to knick a bottle of pop or a small cat food. Having had the dubious pleasure of knowing parts of Surrey quite well I would have no hesitation in blaming racial prejudice as being a very influential factor - this is little England where the white man is most fearful of anyone the Daily Mail suggests is a bogey man. Just because it wouldn't happen in Swansea, Dyfed Powys or the Valleys (where the police are no angels but do have a bit of common sense) doesn't mean it doesn't happen elsewhere. Unless I see evidence to the contrary I'm with Caulker all the way on this. (And given last season that is saying a lot.)
Point to me where any part of this has said its to do with race, that is merely your assumption. So yes you are playing the race card, and it is the issue, its used too willy nilly at times. By all means, use it when there is proof that race has played a part, but it says nothing of race, you have assumed. Maybe 9 times out of 10 it is race, but without the facts you can't sit there and say this is racially motivated. You cannot possibly know that. Heck if you determined race was at the forefront from reading that article, please point to the part of it which made you come to that conclusion. Word for word. If as you say race has anything to do with it, you can bet your bottom dollar that this will be taken further by Caulker. If not, then I guess it won't have been through race, but merely a misunderstanding, a silly one at that seeing as he was handcuffed, but a misunderstanding none the less. How would I act if I was falsely accused of theft? Did you miss the part where it said he was walking back to the store with it, so maybe he wasn't falsely accused, maybe he didn't pay for it, not intentionally, and realised afterwards and walked back to the store to pay for it. Wouldn't be a false accusation, but definitely an over-reaction from the store by calling the police. As for what happened when the police arrived, neither of us know, you say that if he did this that or the other then he would have been charged, well guess what, if it has anything to do with race, then you can bet that Caulker will take it further, so guess we will have to wait and see then won't we. Btw, I grew up in London as a young kid with a strong welsh accent. I know too well what they think of us. But that does not mean to say that everything is racially motivated. I got beat up when I moved back to Wales, had nothing to do with me having an English accent either.
9 times out of 10 in this situation , its a nobody trying to get there "15 minutes " from a celebrity.
Caerphilly? Saying "the police are racist" is like saying "the medical prefession are competent". It's far too general. I've found there are good and bad in every profession. I don't understand Bob's point at all. Littered with sweeping generalisations about Welsh police havng "common sense" (reallly?) and anyone speaking with a Welsh accent in Croydon being treated with suspicion. I was staying in Worcester Park near Epsom last year for the Fulham game and mixed with locals in the evening in the local pub. Everyone was friendly and welcoming and genuinely interested in where we were from. Speak as you find.
Too easy to generalise. Unless you were at the Caulker incident, I don't think there's any way you can call it racist or not. Look at this story: http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message2648538/pg1 Sometimes, what may look like racism at first glance, turns out to actually be nothing. We have to be careful not to just cry 'racism' just because it seems like the publicly acceptable thing to do. If you weren't there, it's pretty much impossible to have a clear opinion one way or the other. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to say. I actually want to question why the police were called in the first place? What exactly are the 'security officers' at these supermarkets paid to do if it's not to retrieve stolen pots of Philadelphia?! Stand there and look mildly intimidating? Most of them even fail at that. Will this incident follow Steven round like Nathan's has followed him?
It seems fairly simple to me. A guy leaves the store without paying for an item. Security guard informs boss or police directly . As police arrive guy realises his mistake and heads back to store in order to pay by which time the police are outside, arrest him for shoplifting. He probably tried to explain to them what happened so they then go into to store for the stores version of events etc. The guy tries to explain that it wasnt deliberate and the store accept this so no charges are brought and everyone is happy. Seen this happen on occasion in Swansea. As for racism anyone remember Richard Madeley he got charged went to court and then found not guilty and he is white!!!! Racism you're having a laugh
