Police send text response to 999

A couple who dialled 999 to report their home being burgled have said they were shocked and angered to get a text message from police in response.

Lloyd and Suzanne Bishop made the call from their Cambridge home after hearing what they believed to be a burglar smashing a padlock early on Sunday.

But instead of dispatching officers, Cambridgeshire police sent the message asking Mr Bishop to investigate.

The response was due to other emergency calls being dealt with, police said.

Text received by Lloyd Bishop Lloyd. Following on from your call earlier on to the police, please can you contact us if you are able to establish what has been stolen and where from? At this time we're struggling to get the police to attend general calls for service, many thanks. Cambridgeshire Police

The call was made at about 0500 BST and the couple were told officers would be sent to scour the area, but shortly afterwards they were awoken by a text message.

Mrs Bishop, 29, said: "We were totally gobsmacked and disgusted that this text was sent out an hour later to us.

"To text the person who calls and ask them to investigate what had been stolen, broken into and who did it is just incredible.

"It just gives burglars the idea that they can get away with it because the police aren't going to send anyone out."

Mr Bishop, 33, added: "I would've thought they should have been able to catch a man in a white T-shirt as there couldn't have been many running around the area at five in the morning."

A Cambridgeshire Police spokeswoman said: "Due to the number of emergency calls at that time we were unable to send an officer straight to the scene.

"All calls have to be graded by their urgency and unfortunately at this time there were a number of incidents, including reports of disorder and assaults, which police were attending.

"A text message was sent to the caller to explain that officers were unable to attend immediately and we apologise if this disturbed them."