“A CAMPAIGN to shop criminals who live off the proceeds of crime is being backed by a bus. Southern Vectis has covered the back of one its double-decker buses with the Crimestoppers’ campaign, Too much bling? Give us a ring! The crime charity hopes the campaign will lead to people reporting loan sharks, drug dealers, thieves and benefit cheats. Marc Morgan-Huws, of Go South Coast, said Southern Vectis backed the campaign to support Crimestoppers keeping the Island safe.” IoW County Press.

Ahem …. is this really a wise thing to say? Bling isn’t my thing, if you know me you’ll already have noticed that! But I think to brand those whose do enjoy sparkly, ostentatious, ornamentation as “loan sharks, drug dealers, thieves and benefit cheats” is going a bit far. I’d back any campaign by Crimestoppers to keep my home area safe but I’d draw the line at targeting any one group of people by race, colour, sex, religion …… lifestyle taste (bling lovers) as likely candidates to be up to no good however lightly or amusingly it’s meant.

Anyway, if that’s their game they can start by reporting this bus to Crimestoppers :-)