One of my near neighbours' burglar alarms went off, about an hour ago. To be fair, it's not the first time, I think it's a bit dodgy. But, in the spirit of not wanting to just assume they are the boy who cried wolf, and that their house might actually being fucking ransacked, I rang the new 101 number, for "non-emergency" reports.
This is a pretty much verbatim report of what happened.
Me: Hi, yeah, a neighbour's burglar alarm is ringing. There might have been a burglary.
101: Have you seen anything suspicious in or around the property?
Me: No, I'm in my bedroom. I'm just reporting that I can hear the alarm from here. Isn't that what you're meant to do, report alarms when you hear them?
101: So you've not been down to look at the property?
Me: No ... do you want me to go and investigate somewhere that might be being burgled as we speak?
101: No. It is likely that the alarm will stop in the next half an hour or so, so don't worry. Thank you.
This is a pretty much verbatim report of what happened.
Me: Hi, yeah, a neighbour's burglar alarm is ringing. There might have been a burglary.
101: Have you seen anything suspicious in or around the property?
Me: No, I'm in my bedroom. I'm just reporting that I can hear the alarm from here. Isn't that what you're meant to do, report alarms when you hear them?
101: So you've not been down to look at the property?
Me: No ... do you want me to go and investigate somewhere that might be being burgled as we speak?
101: No. It is likely that the alarm will stop in the next half an hour or so, so don't worry. Thank you.