Appreciation letters from the public are the best encouragement for police officers. A case that appeared to be trivial in daily police work sometimes could mean a lot to the persons involved, and an appreciation letter written at three o'clock in the morning for a job well done would be a good example and might even strike a chord in a police heart. The following is the story about a "lost property report", which not only demonstrates the professionalism of the police officers involved but also nature of their day-to-day work.
A mobile phone with special meaning
With the advance of technology, smart phones have become part of daily lives. Perhaps some people may get their phones replaced every few months, just like changing clothes, but to some people, a smart phone is not only a tool but also an emotional connection to their loved ones. The need to travel a long distance would not stop them from getting their lost phones back!
The busy Lok Ma Chau Control Point bus stop was packed with people as usual as any other day. Suddenly, a tired-looking woman ran to a police officer, asking for help and hoping the officer might help her locate a lost smart phone.
Search for lost property
Ms Wong, the woman asking for help, was living in Sham Shui Po. Although living a humble life, she spent half of her monthly wage on a new smart phone for her son after his repeated requests. One day when the son was using the phone at home, it accidentally fell out of the window. Looking out of the window, Ms Wong saw the phone land on a passing lorry. She immediately ran downstairs but could only watch the lorry leave.
Reminded by her neighbours, she activated the phone's global positioning function. By looking at the moving red dot on the map, she traced the lorry from Sham Shui Po to Lok Ma Chau until it reached a small road there.
Unusual request
After receiving a report, officers immediately tried to locate the lost phone. Familiar with the area, they quickly identified the location shown on the map, which was a carpark with dozens of vehicles.
It was difficult enough for anyone to look for a small smart phone from so many vehicles. Ms Wong was heartbroken but the officers encouraged her to give it a try as she had already travelled a long distance to find the phone.
Quick Thinking
Under such circumstance, the search for the smart phone would require some quick thinking. Therefore, the officers first approached the carpark caretaker, checked the movement record of the carpark, and subsequently identified the most "suspicious" lorry.
Taking a closer look at both the driver seat and cargo compartment, the officers found no trace of the smart phone. Determined to help Ms Wong, they carefully looked into every accessible part of the lorry and eventually located the phone in the part connecting the engine and the cargo compartment.
Trivial matter with an impact
The officers treated the incident as a daily chore. But it was not until they received Ms Wong's letter of appreciation that they realised how much the phone meant to her.
(This article was contributed by PC Lam Wai-hung from Traffic New Territories North and PC Yeung King-fai from Tin Shui Wai Division.)
