The sign that jeweller Michael Plant was forced to take down
Saturday July 18, 2009 By Andy Russell
POLICE have warned a jeweller for “racially offensive” conduct after he banned Romanian gypsies following a series of raids on his store.
Michael Plant, 62, believes the east European travellers are behind the raids in which gems are snatched while other members of the gang distract staff.
But when he placed a sign in his shop window saying that he did not serve Romanian or east European gypsies he was told by a senior police officer to take it down – or face prosecution on race-hate charges.
Police have been unable to trace the thieves.
Mr Plant, who has run his jewellery shop in Altrincham, Cheshire, with his Austrian wife Monika, 62, for 22 years said: “I’m not racist, but the fact is I have been targeted repeatedly by eastern European criminals.
“I should have a right to say which people come into my shop and not face allegations of racial discrimination.
“I should be able to choose whom I serve. That’s not just eastern Europeans – if someone comes in drunk they will not be served either.
“All I want is a commonsense approach. The police are reactive rather than proactive to crime, they wait for it to happen before they solve it, rather than the other way round.
“I think these Romanians and eastern European criminals are letting their fellow countrymen down. Obviously I don’t think all of them are bad, but how can I distinguish who is good and who is bad?
“I’ve got a foreign wife and we have foreign friends. But some people coming in to this country illegally seem to have more rights than me.”
Mr Plant made a stand after the latest theft last Saturday when a man’s gold wedding ring was stolen.
He added: “They always say they’re Spanish, but they aren’t. I speak more Spanish than them. They use distraction techniques like a child running around and they get away with your stock. One morning I lost nine bracelets, worth well into four figures.
“I think they must pass our name around because about every five or six weeks I get another group of people, sometimes with or without children.
“They come in and ask for something and we usually haven’t got it. They’re quicker than Paul Daniels.”
Following the latest incident Mr Plant called in police, then put the notice on the door on Monday. He got a warning from senior officers shortly afterwards offering him “words of advice” about the message.
He added: “This sign was written in anger after the latest robbery. I feared we would get more in that afternoon.
“I emailed the local police inspector to say what I had put up on the sign and I was told to take it down immediately.
“I’ve reported incidents to the police in the past. I’ve had several robberies over the years and the capture of criminals is very low. I bet if these people are caught for stealing, they probably wouldn’t even go into a magistrates court.
“They would just get a fixed penalty fine and that would be paid by one of the human rights organisations. The taxpayer pays for it all.”
Police said Mr Plant had fallen foul of the Race Relations Act which recognises gypsies and travellers as ethnic groups.
A spokesman said: “Police received a report that a shop was displaying a sign which contained writing that was deemed to be offensive.
“Officers have spoken to the owner of the shop. He has been advised that the notice is off ensive and he has since removed it.
“We take all complaints of this nature extremely seriously.”
http://www.daily express.co.uk/posts/view/114652/-Racial-warning-for-jeweller-who-banned-gypsies-from-shop
DAILY TELEGRAPH Jewellery shop owner gets police warning for banning 'gipsies' he suspected of robbing him
A jeweller has been given a police warning for "racially offensive" conduct after he banned Eastern European and "gipsies" from his shop following a string of thefts.
By Lucy Cockcroft Published: 7:00AM BST 18 Jul 2009
Jeweller Michael Plant had banned Romanian gypsies from his shop Photo: Cavendish
Michael Plant, 62, called in officers after expensive gems were repeatedly stolen from his jewellery shop in distraction thefts.
He is convinced the thefts were perpetrated by a Romanian crime gang and so placed a card in his shop window which read: "Sorry, we do not serve Eastern Europeans or Gipsies".
But the move earned him another visit from the police who told him to take the sign down or face possible prosecution for race hate charges.
Despite inquiries police have been unable to trace the thieves.
Mr Plant, who has run his jewellery shop M&M Plant in Altrincham, Cheshire, with his Austrian wife Monika, 62, for 22 years said: "I'm not racist, but the fact is I have been targeted repeatedly by Eastern European criminals and I should have a right to say which people come into my shop and not face allegations of racial discrimination.
"I should be able to choose who I serve. That's not just Eastern Europeans – if someone comes in drunk they will not be served either.
"All I want is some common sense approach to what we have. The police are reactive rather than proactive to crime, they wait for it to happen before they solve it rather than the other way round.
"I think these Romanians and Eastern European criminals are letting their fellow countrymen down. Obviously I don't think all of them are bad, but how can I distinguish who is good and who is bad?"
Mr Plant claims he has been robbed on a regular basis over the past 18 months, most recently last Saturday when a gold wedding ring was stolen.
He added: "They always say they're Spanish, but they aren't. I speak more Spanish than them.
"They use distraction techniques like a child running around and they get away with your stock. One morning I lost nine bracelets, worth well into four figures.
"I think they must pass our name around because about every five-six weeks I get another group of people, as little as two or three to four."
Mr Plant posted the note on his shop door on Monday, then emailed his local police inspector to let him know.
"I was told to take it down immediately," he said.
Officers said Mr Plant had breached the Race Relations Act which recognises Gipsies and travellers as ethnic groups.
"Police received a report that a shop was displaying a sign which contained writing that was deemed to be offensive," a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said.
"Officers have spoken with the owner of the shop. He has been advised that the notice is offensive and he has since removed it. We take all complaints of this nature extremely seriously."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5852827/Jewellery-shop-owner-gets-police-warning-for-banning-gipsies-he-suspected-of-robbing-him.html
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