UK farmer accidentally shot burglars

**Mr Lick** · 18-12-2010, 06:50 PM

No action against farmer who accidentally shot burglars

Edward Tibbs said he was aiming at a fox when he shot the two men

Continue reading the main story

An Essex farmer who accidentally shot and wounded two burglars raiding a cannabis farm he did not know existed will not face police action.
Edward Tibbs, 62, woke in the early hours of 19 August at his 650-acre arable farm in Crays Hill, Billericay, and went out on his mobility scooter.
He said he fired three times, aiming at a fox trying to steal geese.
However, he hit two men trying to break into an outhouse he had rented out, which contained a secret drugs factory.
The men suffered gunshot wounds to their backs and legs and hospital doctors contacted police.
Later in the day a team of police marksmen, accompanied by a police helicopter, arrested Mr Tibbs on suspicion of attempted murder.

Mr Tibbs, who suffers multiple sclerosis and neuralgia, said the three-month police investigation had "devastated" his family and business.
He said of the shooting: "It was pitch black. There are no lights here at all. I came out of lights, the house, and saw the fox.
"I never knew I had hit anyone, no screams or hollering, no nothing. I just came back indoors."
He said of his arrest: "We had a helicopter overhead and 12, 14, 16 police officers like you see on TV with crash helmets and machine guns.
"They were everywhere and took me away."
Essex Police said the two injured men were released without charge.
A spokesman said Mr Tibbs had since lost his firearms licence because he could "present a danger to public safety or the peace".

**Stinky** · 18-12-2010, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Lick
Mr Tibbs, who suffers multiple sclerosis and neuralgia

A spokesman said Mr Tibbs had since lost his firearms licence because he could "present a danger to public safety or the peace".

No shit

**Thetyim** · 18-12-2010, 07:16 PM

It's illegal to shoot foxes at night in the UK without permission

Why didn't the police stick him with that ?

**blue** · 18-12-2010, 07:23 PM

Farmer shooting at fox hits two intruders trespassing to steal from secret cannabis factory | Mail Online

During the police investigation it emerged that, unknown to Mr Tibbs, a cannabis factory had been set up in an outbuilding he was renting to tenants on his 650-acre farm. Firearms were also found in the outbuilding.

said Mr Tibbs.
‘I didn’t know what they [the tenants] were doing. They rented it for storage. I had the names John and Steve and a mobile number. They were scruffy men.’

you think he was growing it , and protecting his crop , from the err foxes ?

**dirtydog** · 18-12-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

It's illegal to shoot foxes at night in the UK without permission

Do you really believe he was shooting foxes or protecting his crop

Pitch black but could see the fox but not the people he shot, likely story.

**Thetyim** · 18-12-2010, 07:35 PM

^
I am surprised the Police have let him go untouched when he is obviously lying.

The fox doesn't stand there when you shoot at him but he managed to let loose three shots using ( I presume) a pump action

**Thormaturge** · 18-12-2010, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

^
The fox doesn't stand there when you shoot at him but he managed to let loose three shots using ( I presume) a pump action

Boom Boom Boom Ya missed!!

**Mr Lick** · 18-12-2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

Mr Tibbs

Reminds me of the Sidney Poitier film ''In the heat of the night'' Well it was August after all.

**Bower** · 18-12-2010, 08:42 PM

I read this and just had to laugh.......they were persued by a old man in a electric cart armed with a .22 and managed to shoot them both........by mistake!
Brilliant.

**Thetyim** · 18-12-2010, 09:22 PM

^
Shotgun not a .22

I also found this which explains why charges were dropped
"A police insider said they refused to make formal complaints about Mr Tibbs, meaning that there was no evidence to disprove his version of events."

**dirtydog** · 18-12-2010, 09:28 PM

A quick lesson for Mr Tibbs, in the opening post is a picture of a fox, here is a picture of what isn't a fox.

Examples of variation in stereotypicality of Black faces. These images are the faces of people with no criminal history and are shown here for illustrative purposes only. The face on the right would be considered more stereotypically Black than the face on the left.

**jizzybloke** · 18-12-2010, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

These images are the faces of people with no criminal history

bollocks of course they're criminals, their black

**Thormaturge** · 18-12-2010, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

^
Shotgun not a .22

I also found this which explains why charges were dropped
"A police insider said they refused to make formal complaints about Mr Tibbs, meaning that there was no evidence to disprove his version of events."

The clear message here is that dead people don't complain.

**nigelandjan** · 18-12-2010, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by blue

unknown to Mr Tibbs,

Also even at my age I still believe in Father xmas

**Begbie** · 18-12-2010, 10:59 PM

I wonder what he'll do now the cops have shut down his cannabis plantation. He can hardly start another one in his loft as the cops will be keeping a very lose eye on him.

Maybe he could move on up into marketing.

**nigelandjan** · 18-12-2010, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by Begbie

his cannabis plantation

tut tut such cynisysm ,,,,,, he was merely shooting the naughty fox and hit a couple of strangers ,, he had " rented " that building out , so he couldnt possibly known what was going on in there ,,,,,,,, infact he cant even remember who he rented it to ,,eeeeehh mabe that old favourite ,,,some guy I met in the pub,didnt get his name

**blue** · 18-12-2010, 11:50 PM

''Mr Tibbs complained he was now without his shotguns after police withdrew his firearms licence.
He said: ‘Shooting is my life. I used to shoot every other day – rats, foxes, pigeons, vermin.’

Plot thickens: Mr Tibbs was unaware that this rented outbuilding on his Crays Hill, Essex, farm was being used to grow 50 cannabis plants

It is thought the intruders were attempting to take some of the plants and specialist hydroponics equipment when he peppered them with shot on August 18.

Mr Tibbs. added the tenants had stolen around £15,000 worth of electricity by tapping into his power supply to provide heating and lighting for the cannabis factory.'''

.
you think he would notice , that his electricity bill was getting a bit tasty ...
or perhaps he's after insurance claim ?

pc plod fail to crack the case

**Bower** · 18-12-2010, 11:53 PM

[quote=Thetyim;1633564]^
Shotgun not a .22quote]

Ok, but you dont need a firearms licence to have a shotgun.

**Ubermensch** · 19-12-2010, 12:16 AM

There's more to this story. Two women were also arrested regarding the [his] weed, the building also contained other 'firearms' (not sure what) & everyone was released without charge. Pointing the finger of guilt probably resembled the Mexican stand-off from Reservoir Dogs between the five of them & plod simply didn't know who to charge with what.

**Carnwadrick** · 19-12-2010, 01:46 AM

You can't get medical marajauna in the UK ?? the guy does have medical conditions that could benefit from a little toke

**nigelandjan** · 19-12-2010, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by Carnwadrick

he guy does have medical conditions that could benefit from a little toke

Memory loss ??

**blue** · 19-12-2010, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by Carnwadrick

You can't get medical marajauna in the UK ?? the guy does have medical conditions that could benefit from a little toke

i'm not an expert on these things but 50 plants and a £15 000 electricity bill suggests a rather big habit

**Zone** · 19-12-2010, 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by Carnwadrick

You can't get medical marajauna in the UK ?? the guy does have medical conditions that could benefit from a little toke

The silly old coote would have fallen off his scooter if he was stoned,, let alone be good enough shot to hit the ferral thieves!!

But good on him, it should be mandatory to shoot intruders....

**Thormaturge** · 19-12-2010, 05:00 AM

It won't happen again - he's put up a warning sign..

**dirtydog** · 19-12-2010, 07:54 AM

Lets look at this sensibly, there's a man in an electric chair driving around, 2 thieves or pot growers sneaking around and the fox didn't notice them, whose he trying to kid.....

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