Inspector Sands @ Euston

[Yorkswatcher]

Last night about 7ish Inspector Sands was being called for took him/her ages to get to the control office

Got few mins of repeated message blasting out.

Anyone know the reason?

 

[Mike395]

Don't know for sure, but most likely a fire alarm activation (Inspector Sands announcements goes out whilst the area where the activation occurs is checked - only if something is found do they evacuate the station)

 

[NightatLaira]

Bit obvious that one isn't it? At the theatre I used to work in they had a much more discreet code for fire alerts: "This is a staff announcement, could Julie please come to reception."

We didn't have a 'Julie' and we all knew what it meant.. hock:

'Inspector Sands' on the other hand is waay too obvious a code-word imo, it would get me thinking there was a bomb somewhere!

 

[RAPC]

Inspector Sands was being called for a good 10 minutes solid on Tuesday afternoon as well. I'm assuming he was being called across the whole station, unless there was an isolated incident requiring it to be blasted out only in the Virgin lounge.

 

[jon0844]

Where he is called to is where the fire alarm was triggered, and if it's taking 10 minutes to turn off then something must be wrong - and it's clearly not a fire!

 

[Schnellzug]

At Oxford, do they ask for Inspector Morse?

 

[northwichcat]

At Baker Street Underground they should call for Holmes and Watson. The public will think it's novelty for the tourists and nothing serious.

 

[es373]

It is indeed a code word for fire alarm activation.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Not much of a code word anymore.

 

[Crossover]

There is one a member of family told me they use at Morrisons (at least locally) that indicates to staff that there is a shoplift taking place, though I can't remember what it is. I suspect quite a few of the announcements we hear are actually for something completely different

 

[Butts]

Bit obvious that one isn't it? At the theatre I used to work in they had a much more discreet code for fire alerts: "This is a staff announcement, could Julie please come to reception."

We didn't have a 'Julie' and we all knew what it meant.. hock:

'Inspector Sands' on the other hand is waay too obvious a code-word imo, it would get me thinking there was a bomb somewhere!

Place I used to work it was...

Mr ERIF is in the building......

 

[scotsman]

I found a good thread on another forum about it, some former staff referred to hearing one particular code and "all able-bodied male staff members running [to the area in question], relishing the opportunity to use 'reasonable force' "

 

[bluenoxid]

There is one a member of family told me they use at Morrisons (at least locally) that indicates to staff that there is a shoplift taking place, though I can't remember what it is. I suspect quite a few of the announcements we hear are actually for something completely different

I found a good thread on another forum about it, some former staff referred to hearing one particular code and "all able-bodied male staff members running [to the area in question], relishing the opportunity to use 'reasonable force' "

Yes that used to happen but I believe that following a number of incidents (including staff arrests) and the realisation that you were putting yourself on the line for a tenner of meat, it started to get dropped. Policy changed significantly in the months before I left and staff were repeatedly reminded about handling shop lifters by calling for management. I personally rugby tackled a shoplifter over the end of a checkout much to the bemusement of the customer who was having the last few items scanned through.

One of the stores I worked in used the name of a well known former member of staff, whilst others used code #number#. There are other codes but they are still used today for other reasons.

Believe me, it used to be rough bunch at Morrisons. Stay out of the way of the Checkout girls

Really stay out of their way.

 

[umontu]

There is one a member of family told me they use at Morrisons (at least locally) that indicates to staff that there is a shoplift taking place, though I can't remember what it is. I suspect quite a few of the announcements we hear are actually for something completely different

Depends slightly on each store.
And yes there are a lot of coded ones that staff only will get.

 

[Lampshade]

I still think 'Captain Billy Bob' would work better

 

[graham43404]

I could be wrong and most likely am but I am sure that Inspector Sands was being called at St Pancras a few weeks ago as well.

 

[Mike395]

I could be wrong and most likely am but I am sure that Inspector Sands was being called at St Pancras a few weeks ago as well.

Quite possible, I've heard him being asked for there before!

 

[Sadsmileyface]

Scotrail's is "Inspector Banks", I'm sure.

 

[jamesontheroad]

I may have mentioned this before, but for decades the entire Montréal Métro system has used a network-wide PA system that can allow control to broadcast messages to all 68 stations. In order to convey messages the announcers use (in French) a two part code: two/three digits for the incident and three digits for the station.

The codes are (not including the recent-ish extension to the orange line)...

01 Police intervention
02 Trespass in tunnel
03 Bomb alert
04 Suicide attempt
05 Fire
06 Power cut
07 Hazmat alert
08 Flood
09 Explosion
010 Structural damage
011 Collision and/or derailment
012 Mass panic (!)
013 Medical assistance

118 - Angrignon
120 - Monk
122 - Jolicoeur
124 - Verdun
126 - De L'Église
128 - Lasalle
130 - Charlevoix
132 - Lionel-Groulx
134 - Atwater
136 - Guy-Concordia
138 - Peel
140 - McGill
142 - Place-des-Arts
144 - Saint-Laurent
146 - Berri/UQAM
148 - Beaudry
150 - Papineau
152 - Frontenac
154 - Préfontaine
156 - Joliette
158 - Pie-IX
160 - Viau
162 - L'Assomption
164 - Cadillac
166 - Langelier
168 - Radisson
170 - Honoré-Beaugrand
222 - Côte-Vertu
224 - Du Collège
228 - De La Savane
230 - Namur
232 - Plamondon
234 - Côte Ste.Catherine
236 - Snowdon
238 - Villa-Maria
242 - Vendôme
244 - Place Saint-Henri
248 - Georges-Vanier
250 - Lucien L'Allier
252 - Bonaventure
254 - Square-Victoria
256 - Place d'Armes
258 - Champs-de-Mars
262 - Sherbrooke
264 - Mont-Royal
266 - Laurier
268 - Rosemont
270 - Beaubien
272 - Jean-Talon
274 - Jarry
276 - Crémazie
278 - Sauvé
280 - Henri-Bourassa
452 - Jean-Drapeau
454 - Longueuil
534 - Côte-des-Neiges
536 - Université de Montréal
538 - Édouard-Montpetit
540 - Outremont
542 - Acadie
544 - Parc
546 - De Castelnau
552 - Fabre
554 - D'Iberville
556 - Saint-Michel

 

[bnm]

I personally rugby tackled a shoplifter over the end of a checkout much to the bemusement of the customer who was having the last few items scanned through.

Wouldn't you have been the one committing an offence there? Isn't it only 'shoplifting' when the perpetrator has walked out the door?

 

[jon0844]

Yes it is. Given the fact when I shop at Aldi, I take my own bags and then use them to carry my shopping (I don't fancy paying £1 for a trolley!), before unloading at the till and repacking, I'd be rather upset if I was jumped on and accused of shoplifting!

 

[causton]

Indeed, you can store your goods wherever you like - until you attempt to walk out those doors all we (speaking as a member of shop staff) can do is stare at you and make sure you don't get out the doors!

 

[tony_mac]

It's actually a bit of a nightmare; you (a member of the public) can only detain somebody if an offence was actually committed. If they are actually found not guilty (such as they just forgot to pay, see below), they can then take legal action for wrongful arrest.

This happened to a friend of mine, some years ago. He saw a woman leave the shop with items under her coat, he gave chase but the items were disposed of before he got to her and detained her.
She was found not guilty and the store also had to pay her compensation for the wrongful arrest.

In R v Self, Self had taken a chocolate bar and forgotten to pay for it. He left the shop and was 'arrested' by staff and a passer-by. In trying to get free he kicked them. He was originally found not guilty of theft, but guilty of assault. On appeal the assault conviction was also overturned as the arrest was not lawful because, with him being found not-guilty, no offence had been committed and a person is entitled to resist an unlawful attempt to detain them.
(The fact that he was an off-duty police officer may have helped his 'I forgot to pay' defence).

 

[bluenoxid]

That is the reason (among many) it was stopped.

 

[Schnellzug]

It (going back to the original subject) is hardly very much of a secret; i wonder why they don't change it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Sands
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Scotrail's is "Inspector Banks", I'm sure.

They could use a bit of imagination and ask for Inspector Rebus.

 

[northernrail]

Last July we were going from Leeds-Doncaster, while buying tickets there was quite a loud siren that rang 3 or 4 times and then announced "Inspector Sands Please Come To The Ticket Gates"

 

[Welshman]

Euston, St Pancras and now Leeds.
Perhaps this mythical character should be known as "shifting Sands"

 

[HugePilchard]

I've heard tell of a theatre somewhere that uses 'Elvis' as the fire code-word.

The all clear, announced over the PA, is "Elvis has left the building".

 

[trc666]

Waterloo has the Inspector Sands announcements as well, which is pre-recorded and said very slowly. "Will... Inspector... Sands... Please... Report... To...", then whatever the location is. If everything okay then a manual PA is made by the announcer 'Will Inspector Sands please stand down.'

 

[DarloRich]

Scotrail's is "Inspector Banks", I'm sure.

Surely Inspector Banks would be used in Darlington or York the nearest stations to "Eastvale"

Would it not be Inspector Rebus in Scotland?