Why can't we get in touch with officers?

I think I've rumbled West Mercia Police Authority on how they keep crime figures down - make it impossible to report one.

I rang the non-emergency police phone line to report a crime last Thursday and, after being kept on hold for some time, finally spoke to a young man who took a few details and then said that for the type of crime I was reporting I needed to go to my local police station.

I asked when Wem police station would be open. It's 8.30am to 4.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4pm Fridays. Which effectively means if you work between those hours you can't actually report a crime.

I managed to get off work early on the Friday, so at 1.45pm I went to Wem Police Station to find it closed. There was a phone by the door to be used if you wanted to report a crime. Unfortunately this wasn't answered.

During the time I was at the door there were at least two people in the police station - one in uniform - who saw me but ignored me.

I ended up leaving still having not reported the crime I wished to - it's no wonder people have little confidence in our police.

So to the woman driver I was trying to report for dangerous driving, you've got away with it this time, but next time you might not.

You could injure someone at best or kill them at worst.

Mrs L Jones, Wem