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Mistaken drugs raid left Darwen man's door destroyed

5:25pm Thursday 2nd July 2009


A MAN has hit out after police officers targeted his house during a drugs raid by mistake.

Police have admitted that the intelligence which led them to knock down the front door of Mark Reynold’s home in Hindle Street, Darwen was incorrect.

Mr Reynolds, 43, said the officers “completely dest-royed” his door but then immediately discovered their error.

He first knew about the incident when officers called him at work to say they had been to his home.

Mr Reynolds, a call centre worker who has lived at the house for 20 years, said: “I'm very angry because every-one will think I have been up to no good.

“At the start of the day I had a perfectly okay door and now I don't.

“The police broke it on entering the property from their woefully incorrect intelligence. The damage is still there and I want a new door.”

The raid took place at around midday on Monday. He said officers told him that they were looking for heroin and crack cocaine in the swoop.

A police spokesperson apologised for the incident.

He said: “The warrant was carried out following local intelligence from a variety of sources and while every attempt is made to corr-oborate the information, on this occasion the int-elligence was inaccurate.

“It is extremely rare for this to happen and officers made immediate efforts to contact the owner and secure the house.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and will ensure that the owner of the house is fully compensated for any damage caused.”


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Your Say YourCitizen

darwen sense, Darwen says...
5:51pm Thu 2 Jul 09

As much as this is unfortunate, it is an honest mistake. The man is being compensated by the police, and he has got an apology. Why exactly has he felt the need to go to the media? Is he after even more money for his story? I for one, am glad that the police are acting to try and rid darwen of drugs, so the town is better for all our children!!!!

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mark1024, darwen says...
8:54pm Thu 2 Jul 09

to darwen sense... they may have said that they apologised to the press...
THE POLICE HAVE YET TO APOLOGISE TO ME
nor have they spoken about what they are going to replace the door with

and that is why i have gone to the media
i have not sort any money from the media nor will i

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Mr Tickle, Darwen says...
10:01pm Thu 2 Jul 09

How is he going to let his neighbours know that it was a mistake if he doesn't go to the Police. i would say that the Police do need to make contact with you Mark and get you a decent front door. Lets hope they do!!

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jacqui154, darwen says...
10:31pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Being a former neighbour a few years ago,and still in touch with present neighbours of Mark they will fully understand this was a massive mistake by the police and Mark is a decent man. Apology from police and compensation for door is a must.
Didn't this happen before to another innocent guy in Darwen,police need to get there info correct before ramming doors down.

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JohnR1, Darwen says...
10:51pm Thu 2 Jul 09

This is not the only door smashed off its hinges recently - I won't give details here but suffice to say, based on a scurrilous accusattion and Darwen police's inability to wake the occupants, the 'heavy mob' from Blackburn were called in to smash the door. They have hidden behind legislation to prevent terrorism to ablsolve themselves of any responsibility for doing it. The scumbag who 'fingered' the occupant for a robbery is probably enjoying the insurance money from his fraudulent robbery claim as we speak. Nuff said - you know who you are!

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happycyclist, Darwen says...
12:55am Fri 3 Jul 09

Landlords accusations?

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darwen sense, Darwen says...
12:14pm Fri 3 Jul 09

But what do people suggest the police do? If they have info that they think is reliable. Are they suggesting they try and make an appointment with the occupants to ask them to fill out a questionnaire to see if they are the real offenders? The nature of these operations has to be suprising the occupants. Im sure 9 out of 10 addresses they put the door in, they find the right offenders, and/or criminal property. These comments are typical of liberal thinkers wanting tough action against crime, but when mistakes are made, its too much for their morality to take!

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soviekie, darwen says...
2:43pm Fri 3 Jul 09

If your door was broken down by mistake wouldent you want it replaced??
What is at question here is not the procedure of the police, it is the question of comunication or lack of comunication between the police and innocent bystander. Having known mark for over 15 years he is a respectable and hard working man and he is only trying to get something that he surely is entitled too, which is a new front door.

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darwen sense, Darwen says...
3:08pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Dosent the article say "will ensure that the owner of the house is fully compensated for any damage caused.” So, will that not mean a new front door for Mark, or the exact money given to him for a replacement? Why dosent he just get a new door, and bill the police. Isnt that what most people would do for an insurance claim! Maybe Mark should ring the 60 Minute Makeover Team, and get it done in a flash!!!!


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soviekie, darwen says...
6:52pm Fri 3 Jul 09

the article says that i agree but didnt you read the response "THE POLICE HAVE YET TO APOLOGISE TO ME
nor have they spoken about what they are going to replace the door with " so dont try and be clever. maybe you should pay for his door as many people dont just have enough money at hand to pay for doors that didnt need replacing before after they have paid the bills

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JohnR1, Darwen says...
11:07pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Darwen sense - the police made a half hearted attempt to wake the occupants then called in the heavies. What if the occupants were not at home? As for reasonable suspicion, the 'evidence' they had was hearsay from a third party - not admissable and certainly not grounds for breaking and entering a property. The police have to obey the law as well as uphold it - a point often overlooked by many police officers. Unfortunately in the case of the guy in the article, suspicion of drugs offences come under the auspices of a law thet allows the police to do exactly as they please without fear of any comebacks.

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CapitaBackHander, Darren says...
1:16pm Sat 4 Jul 09

You have to be pretty naive to think the police knock the doors down to stop drugs been washed away. They do this to wreck the door and cause the occupier (usually innocent landlord) financial loss. When they are wrong they should appologise to the householder and replace with a slightly better door - not a crap upvc one!
Do the police seriously think that dealers flush drugs down the loo when the postman, neighbour or metre reader call?

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foxy lass, Lower Darwen says...
6:31pm Sat 4 Jul 09

JohnR1, get a grip man! What are you on about, 'the police get away with what they want'. Anyone would think we have a police force like the Gestapo! I just believe what an anti-police bunch you lot are. Well, I bet you lot would be the first to ring them if your getting your head kicked in. Maybe you should all stick by your principles, and dont ring them when the time comes. I lived in Spain for a few years, and if you think our police are bad, you should see the way they go about things over there. Well done darwen sense, least someone has some sense on here!

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soviekie, darwen says...
10:56pm Sat 4 Jul 09

NO were just after better communication so that we know what is happening not left in the dark wondering what is going to happen. If people seem to be anti police maybe there is a bigger problem than u think because why would ppl waste energy being anti police if they havent had a bad experience from them. and darwen sense only seems to give sarcastic comments to people without reading or knowing the story..

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mark1024, darwen says...
7:47pm Mon 6 Jul 09

I would like to point out that at this time .. the police have yet to apologise or talk to to me about in anyway with regards to compensation still..
despite the demolition expert detectives having my mobi number and email address and a certain sgt thackery-scott at darwen police stn retaking the information Saturday.. the DI who made the apology (possibly called DI Lightfoot, lightfinger'd more like) printed in the article ONCE again is too facking lazy to take the time to write an apology to me the victim of this police brutality and their so called Bad Intelligence.

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Comments are closed on this article.

ANGRY: Mark Reynolds with his door which was damaged by police who raided his home by mistake ANGRY: Mark Reynolds with his door which was damaged by police who raided his home by mistake


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