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LISTEN: Woman calls 999 to complain of her guinea pigs being fed as police make plea for people to think twice before dialing
Two guinea pigs. File photo. Picture: Goz Zilla/Archant Library - Credit: citizenside.com
This is the moment someone called the emergency 999 number to report a person creeping onto their property to feed pet guinea pigs.
The recording has been released by Norfolk Constabulary as an example of an unnecessary call to the service.
It comes as Norfolk's senior police officer, Chief Constable Simon Bailey, put out a plea for people to think twice before they call 999.
In the call, a woman caller acknowledged the problem was not something that was 'really important' but it was 'something that's bugging me'.
She said: 'We've got guinea pigs, and they're in my front garden, but they're right near my porch way, so near my house door.
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'Someone has actually been in my garden, up to the guinea pigs, and fed 'em.
'So someone is trespassing in my garden.'
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The operator explained to the woman that it was not a police matter.
The county's 999 operators are now taking 1,200 phone calls every day. In June this year, there has been an 18pc increase in 999 calls on the same month last year, and a 7pc increase in 101 calls.
CC Bailey said: 'Our staff prioritise people who are in immediate need and if you ring 999 in error you could be preventing someone else in a genuine emergency from getting through.'
READ MORE: Police control room at 'breaking point' as chief urges public to think before dialling 999In a bid to help reduce demand and put resources where they are needed the most, the force's new website has more self-service functions including online forms for:
Reporting a crime - low-level anti-social behaviour - road traffic collisions, which do not require a police attendance - Dashboard camera footage.
If members of the public still have questions around policing or non-policing matters, they can access a range of information on the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Norfolk Police website or via 'Ask the Police' which can be found on any search engine.
You can access information and advice using the 'FAQ' link at www.norfolk.police.ukYou can also access useful information using 'ask the police' www.askthe.police.uk
