According to reports in the Epsom Guardian and the Daily Telegraph, Surrey Police's "crime reduction" team has advised householders who have reinforced the security of outside stores and garden sheds that they should put up signs warning burglars to avoid injury.

Does such advice not tend to hold Surrey Police up to ridicule in the eyes of the public and do nothing to further the cause of crime prevention.

Given that undetected crime in Surrey continues to run at statistically record highs, would it be too radical a step to return to the first principle of policing and concentrate on offering the public proper advice on the prevention of crime, rather than have officers concern themselves less with the questionable rights that may accrue to offenders suffering injury as the result of their criminal endeavours.

In more blunt terms, should your officers not be instructed to offer advice only on those matters they are actually qualified to speak upon: civil damages not being one of these.

DAVID PATRICK
Larkspur Way, Epsom