POLICE cannot automatically watch footage from CCTV cameras fitted to one of their own stations at weekends, it has emerged.

CCTV is installed outside Abingdon police station overlooking the car park, but a recent theft complaint has revealed how the footage is not available directly for officers inside.

The station was rebuilt about 10 years ago under a Private Finance Initiative and is managed by the private company – including the external CCTV.

If a crime happens outside of business hours, Thames Valley Police has to pay a call-out fee to building managers Initial Facilities Management to view the footage.

Carl Rundle, from Abingdon, claims his mobile phone was stolen when he was in the station’s car park on a Saturday afternoon. Asked about what proof there was, Mr Rundle, 38, said: “I told them ‘look at your CCTV footage’ but they said because they didn’t own the building there was nobody who could look at it until Monday.”

Officers did not look at the footage to investigate his claims until the following Monday, when staff from Initial Facilities Management were available.

A woman being arrested after the CCTV footage was viewed but was not ultimately charged.

Mr Rundle said: “I was completely shocked by the CCTV issue because you instinctively think that a police station will be a safe place.

“If something was stolen from a shop, instantly they look at the CCTV.”

A police spokesman confirmed that Abingdon, Thames Valley Police’s only station built under PFI, is managed by Initial Facilities Management, which controls the CCTV cameras trained on the car park.

The spokesman said: “Thames Valley Police can access this footage at any time via a call-out service.

“This is done at extra cost and is only applied in cases where it is felt the offence is proportionate to do so.

“While the theft of the gentleman’s mobile phone was obviously upsetting to him, it was felt that the review of the CCTV footage could wait until normal office hours resumed; a period less than 48-hours after the offence.”

He added the footage was eventually watched but there was not enough evidence to charge anyone.

He would not confirm the amount of the call-out fee for “commercial reasons”.

No other police station in Oxfordshire is subject to this arrangement.

Rod Matheson, Unison branch secretary, said: “The private sector can’t do everything, they don’t have the expertise, the knowledge or the staff for it.”

The Oxford Mail was unable to contact Initial Facilities Management for a comment.

laura.jones@oxfordmail.co.uk