As of: February 19, 2024, 10:00 a.m
By: Stefanie Fischhaber
Comments
Press
Split
When property is damaged, for example by spraying, the police rely on information from witnesses (symbolic image).
© Tobias Felber/dpa/Symbolbild
What are the benefits of calling witnesses?
Will anyone report this to the police?
“Yes,” emphasize the inspection managers in the district.
Even if the response varies.
District
– “The police are asking for information.” “The police are looking for witnesses.” Such sentences can be read again and again in police reports.
Regardless of whether it is damage to property, hit-and-run or theft, law enforcement often turns to the public to solve crimes.
But does anyone really report to the inspections in the Miesbach district?
Vandalism, damage to property or hit and run are the most common crimes
“Yes,” says Simon Irger, deputy head of the office in Miesbach.
Of course, the response always depends on whether the crime was actually observed.
Most of the crimes in the Miesbach police area are related to vandalism, damage to property or hit-and-run.
The head of the police station in Bad Wiessee, Thomas Heinrich, also confirms this for his department.
In most cases the feedback was “rather modest”, but depended heavily on the quality of the offenses.
In the case of serious crimes, calls for witnesses are more successful
In the case of property damage, for example, fewer witnesses came forward because these crimes were less observed.
“In cases where people have already been harmed themselves, they are more likely to report it because they are angry,” explains Heinrich.
This is particularly the case in accidents.
Even if people are injured or even killed or major financial damage occurs, the response is greater.
“That really hits home for people,” says Heinrich.
In such cases, readers questioned whether they noticed anything.
“For more serious crimes, calls for witnesses are usually more successful,” reports Heinrich.
Although not every piece of information is helpful, “we are happy to receive any information.”
Calling for witnesses helps officers especially if they themselves have no means of investigating or want to rule out criminal events.
In addition, witness statements that have already been received could be checked.
However, there must also be evidence that someone could have observed the crime.
Heinrich: “If something happens at night in an unlit parking lot, we don’t call for witnesses.”
“Without the citizens, the police would solve far fewer cases”
The head of the inspection believes it is unlikely that a call will create enough pressure to prevent another act from happening.
“You don’t plan on damaging property or escaping an accident,” he clarifies.
Even if the response is often “modest”: “Without the citizens, the police would solve far fewer cases.”
My news
Hotel Terofal is once again for sale
Miesbach: Radl-Rowdy crashes into the rear window - second accident during the escape reading
The community is gradually losing patience: Gasthof zur Post in Schliersee has been empty for years
Mountain bike trail in Hausham: Route on Brenten becomes legal
New chairman of the breeding association wants to “preserve Miesbach as a market location” read
Level of care: One in five objections across Bavaria is successful - read “Take a closer look”.
Christian Gollwitzer supports this. “We can’t always be everywhere,” says the head of the office in Holzkirchen.
“If the calls for witnesses didn’t bring anything, we wouldn’t do it.” He can’t determine that some crimes receive more response than others in his area.
“It’s more of a coincidence,” he suspects.
Ultimately, the rate of reports depends heavily on how many people perceive a crime.
Some perpetrators come forward themselves after a wanted call is published
The most common crimes in the area of activity of the Holzkirchen police station are property damage and hit-and-run.
More often, high-profile cases, such as the search for missing persons, could be solved by calling for witnesses.
“Just recently, a missing person case was resolved through a call for witnesses because a citizen found the missing person at the train station and informed the police,” reports Gollwitzer.
In the case of the teenager who stole a Porsche in November and drove into a guardrail between Holzkirchen and Otterfing, the police were able to prove that the 14-year-old had committed further crimes through evidence from witnesses.
Gollwitzer can well imagine that perpetrators turn themselves in due to public pressure: He has already experienced two cases in which perpetrators reported themselves shortly after a wanted call was published.
Appeal from the inspection manager: if in doubt, always report it
Gollwitzer notes that there is a willingness to help the police.
“It often doesn't lead to anything, but at least there was an attempt.” He noticed that many people felt good about helping – even if they weren't directly affected.
The inspector's appeal: if in doubt, always report it - even if it later turns out that the information cannot be used.