Woman who claimed console was stolen given fine for wasting police time

Last Wednesday, the 33-year-old woman from Brinsworth in Rotherham told the police that, while she was asleep, a 33-year-old man, also from Brinsworth, entered her house.

She claimed that the man stole a Nintendo 3DS console and a quantity of cash.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: “Police quickly located the offender and later found that the woman had in fact asked the man to sell the equipment on her behalf.

“There was sufficient evidence on the mobile phone belonging to the man to back up his claims.

“The woman was issued a fixed penalty notice and fined £80 for wasting police time.”

Detective Sergeant Mick Fletcher warned other people against making similar false reports and wasting police time.

He said: “Police take matters such as this very seriously.

“We investigate reports of theft thoroughly and it is disappointing that some persons feel that they can try to cheat the system by making false allegations.

“On this occasion, this woman has found herself on the wrong side of the law and has felt the impact in her pocket.

“May I take this chance to urge others who feel that they can waste police time to think again.”

Wasting police time carries a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment.

The charge would apply to situations such as where people make false reports of crime, or give false reports to the police during the course of an existing investigation.