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Amnesty for no-waiting cone thieves

29/12/2005

TRAFFIC police are being driven mad by the theft of "no-waiting cones" from across the area.

They are calling for the return of some of the 330 cones which have been stolen during the year and have declared a festive amnesty.

Sergeant Keith Jackson, based at the road policing unit in Accrington, is appealing to all those who have "borrowed" cones to return them to their local police station.

He said: "It would appear that a large number of our cones have undertaken a career change and are moonlighting outside churches for weddings and funerals and as caretakers of residents' parking spaces.

"Unfortunately this means that we now have so few cones that we cannot place enough on the streets when we have major events such as football or Royal visits."

Sergeant Jackson said that if the cones were returned no questions would be asked about why they had been taken.

They have a black base with Lancashire Constabulary E Division moulded in, with a yellow cone on top embellished with a "no waiting" sign.

Sergeant Jackson added: "Joking apart, the missing cones need to be replaced and this is costing the police and the taxpayer.

"We have had to buy an additional 600 cones in two years because people keep borrowing them on, should we say, a permanent basis.

"We are happy to allow people to use these cones if they have events where they need to reserve parking spaces but we would ask them to collect them and return them to the road policing unit each time."

If police officers find the cones being used without permission, they will be removed and returned to the road policing unit.