A MAN had to wait so long to report a car crime at Blackburn police station that he used his mobile phone to ring officers -- from the waiting room.

Home Secretary Jack Straw today pledged to look into the complaint of electrician Stuart Dewhurst, who hung around for 45 minutes to report that his car radio had been stolen after finding the reception desk empty.

But a police chief said Stuart had been a victim of the fact that an officer had gone sick at short notice.

Stuart found his car radio had been stolen when he returned to his vehicle in Library Street, Blackburn, just before 11pm.

When he went to report the crime at the police station he found the reception desk unattended.

Stuart, aged 22, of Fielden Place, Feniscowles, is currently working in Darlington, but his father Dennis said: "He was informed that someone should have been at reception. He was then told someone would be with him in five minutes so he could report the crime. After 15 minutes no police officer had come to deal with the crime.

"However, one officer had returned to the station, ignoring both my son, his companion and another member of the public." Mr Dewhurst said his son felt he was being ignored and he rang the Blackburn police number, but as details of the crime were being reported down the line the call was cut off.

"For a further 20 minutes my son remained in the station ringing the bell for attention, only to be ignored. Only when two officers returned to the station did my son finally manage to report the theft of his radio from his car."

But Superintendent David Mallaby, who is in charge of policing operations in the East Lancashire Division, said: "It was unfortunate. Somebody went sick at short notice and someone else had to be diverted from another job.

"It took an hour, but there was cover soon after Mr Dewhurst left. Normally, if the reception desk officer had to leave his post temporarily he could buzz the custody suite, but on this occasion custody had been unusually busy.

"Blackburn police station is manned 24 hours a day," he emphasised. Mr Dewhurst has written to Home Secretary Jack Straw and Mr Straw said: "I shall take this issue up with Chief Superintendent John Thompson and write to the family."

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