I don’t know if it is apathy or just a bad decision, but it is easy to make an incorrect judgment without having all the salient facts available.

But once again it would appear that someone within a Thames Valley Police call centre has made an incorrect decision (Oxford Mail, November 11).

A crash occurs and the offending driver drives off.

Shortly afterwards a well-meaning member of the public reports a badly damaged car with damage comparable to that which might have been involved in the aforesaid crash, driving along a nearby road.

The operative’s response is that there was insufficient identification to proceed.

Proceed with what? Further enquiries or a prosecution? Surely a stop-and-check of the reported vehicle could have helped sort the matter out. Comparison paint scrapings from both vehicles would have been a great help if not even a positive move to detect the offender in the incident.

I reiterate an old comment of mine which says: ‘You cannot tell which way the train went by just looking at the rails!’ Sarah Thornton, the chief constable, must be tearing her hair out when she reads of incidents like this, as yet another chance to help restore public confidence in the efficiency of her force’s officers is thrown away.

CHRIS PAYNE Turnpike Road Biceste