Overend – A Year In Crime
Chapter Fourteen
Saturday April 13th 2002
It had been decided that the illegal gambling at the Fox and Flowerpot was to be shut down at around nine o’clock on Saturday night almost two weeks since Ben Clubley’s first visit.
DC Clubley had sold DCI Overend the idea that Griffin was working undercover.
Although both men knew the unspoken truth Bill Overend chose to let it go.
Knowing Clubley’s past as he did he was sure that Ben was acting in the best interests of all concerned.
The plan was for DC Marty Griffin to play in the game.
Ben Clubley was coordinating the sting with Frank Chute and Jimmy Pidd inside who would secure the exits when Clubley gave the signal.
Outside would be three TSG* units one unit would secure the exit into the beer garden and a second unit would enter the pub through the main entrance. The third would be held in reserve.
Each TSG unit comprised of twelve uniformed officers, ten PC’s one Sergeant and an Inspector.
DCI Overend could, and perhaps should, have put one of his Sergeants in charge of the raid.
But Bill felt compelled to give Clubley a chance so to Ben Clubley’s surprise and gratitude he was allowed to run the show and see the job through.
Even though there would be three Inspectors on the ground overall authority was down to DC Clubley.
On the night Ben was in the Pub at seven thirty and was shocked to see the place was dead.
There was no sign of the Foster’s amongst the ten or so customers scattered around the pub.
He checked his watch he was early but he didn’t think it was that early.
Clubley was at the bar and waited, he saw the barman standing at the other end of the bar in conversation with a customer he glanced in Ben’s direction briefly and then continued his conversation.
He was of medium height and muscular build and he was of rough and un-welcoming appearance, he was heavily tattooed and shaven headed with the kind of face you would never tire of slapping.
“Oy, Lydia! *” Ben shouted. “When you’re ready.”
He looked around and walked slowly to where Ben was standing.
“What do you want?”
“Stella.” Clubley said. “Pint.”
The barman begrudgingly obliged.
“Two pounds ninety.” He banged the pint of lager down on the counter so it slopped over the side just as he did on Ben’s last visit.
Ben glared at him and dropped three pound coins above the ashtray the muscular barman reached out both hands quickly and caught the coins before they went in amongst the dog ends.
“Well done?” Clubley said. “You can keep the change for that.”
He picked up his glass and took a mouthful.
He was just about to go and seat himself at one of the many vacant table’s when he felt a hand on his shoulder he put down his pint and when he turned round he expected to find the “Tattooed Lady” wanting a fight.
What he found instead was the friendly face of “Outhouse” the man-mountain builder.
“Bloody hell! You frightened the crap out of me.” Ben said.
Outhouse laughed.
“I thought you didn’t get in here evenings? Because of the rough crowd.” Ben gestured with a sweeping movement of his arm.
“It’s early yet.” Outhouse replied. “I always leave here by eight.”
They walked over to a vacant table and sat down and both took a drink.
“I’m Chris by the way. Chris Hyde but my mates call me Jekyl.” He shook Ben’s hand.
“Ben Clubley and I dread to think what people call me.”
Ben liked this man he was easy company and he laughed at his jokes.
“Did you find a place?” He asked.
“Sorry?” Ben said.
“You were flat hunting last time I saw you.” Outhouse said. “You’d just got divorced.”
“No nothing I could afford.”
“Do you have to pay alimony?” Outhouse asked.
“That must be like putting petrol in someone else’s car.”
They both laughed.
“Well I don’t pay alimony but two divorces really wiped me out.” Ben answered.
Outhouse nodded sympathetically.
Then he reached into his inside pocket and took out a business card and a pen.
He quickly wrote something on the back of the card and handed it to Ben.
The card read “Chris Hyde – General Builder” and on the back was a hand written address.
Ben looked at Jekyl puzzled.
“I have a flat to rent so if your interested give me a call. I’ve put the address on there so you can check out the location.”
Said Jekyl.
“It’s been empty for about two months. I’ve been waiting to find someone trustworthy.”
“What makes you think I’m trustworthy?” Ben asked.
Jekyl finished his beer and stood up, and then he leant towards Ben and said.
“Well if you can’t trust a copper who can you trust?”
“See you again.” He said slapping Ben on the back and laughing.
“Bastard.” Was all Ben could manage.
Chris Hyde was right about the crowd, at eight o’clock almost to the minute the place was suddenly alive with people.
Most of the ten or so punters already in the bar soon made themselves scarce as the bar quickly filled with some very undesirable characters.
Stood by the steps up to the restaurant area, vetting the prospective players, were John and Kenny Foster.
John was a big man and very strong though not the brightest.
He was as hard as nails, on one occasion for a bet to show what a hard man he was, he Jogged home, three miles from the Hospital, after his own vasectomy.
It made Ben wince just to think of it.
Kenny on the other hand only thought he was a hard man but he was not averse to having someone else do his fighting for him.
Clubley was surprised to see him here he was sure he was inside.
Just then he saw Griffin arrive and approach John Foster who gave him a quick glance and nodded him through.
During the next half hour he was offered for sale, Rolex watches, Cigarettes, Vodka and DVD players and films he made a mental note of who was selling what and would make a point of having there cars searched later.
Frank Chute and Jimmy Pidd were both in the Pub, Frank was sitting at the Bar and Jimmy was playing the fruit machine.
By ten to nine everyone but everyone in the criminal fraternity were there and the card games were well under way.
He felt there was no reason to wait any longer he nodded to Chute and Pidd in turn and they made their way into position.
Frank Chute was by the bar and would jump over the bar and prevent anyone from exiting through the landlord’s accommodation.
Jimmy Pidd would secure the exit via the kitchen area.
He took out his mobile phone from his pocket and brought up the pre entered text message and hit send button.
This sent the message “Go, Go, Go” to the three TSG Inspectors.
The time lapse between sending the message and the arrival of the first uniformed officer seemed like minutes but was actually only seconds.
The moment the first officer arrived through the main entrance Ben Clubley ran up the steps warrant card in hand and Frank Chute slipped over the bar and blocked the doorway leading into the accommodation.
“Police! Nobody move.” Clubley yelled. Two of the card players leapt from the table and headed out the door to the beer garden only to reappear seconds later followed by twelve uniformed officers.
Clubley headed back towards the bar just in time to see the “tattooed lady” climb over the bar Ben shoved him back the way he came.
“I’ll talk to you later about slopping my beer.”
Kenny Foster ran headlong for the kitchen door but Jimmy Pidd barred his way at the last moment Kenny ended up on his back on the floor.
Jimmy held his ground until a uniformed inspector, John Holt, tapped him on the shoulder; Jimmy shaped to throw a punch but pulled his punch.
“Sorry Guv!”
“That’s ok thank you for not hitting me Pidd.”
The whole operation lasted less than ten minutes
There were a few minor injuries on both sides it took four officers to subdue John Foster and it was only after he was introduced to Mr. Wood* that he was finally overcome and arrested.
Of the Fox and Flowerpot’s ninety-eight patrons present at the time of the raid twenty-seven were arrested and a further eleven were cautioned.
Those arrested included John and Kenny Foster, John for resisting arrest and Kenny for carrying a concealed weapon.
Ben decided to take Marty Griffin into custody so as not to expose him as a police officer, partly incase he picked up any more info from his fellow detainee’s and partly to preserve his identity in case the need arises for him to go undercover.
The other arrests were either drug related or involving stolen goods.
One miscreant Afchine Tabritzian was found in possession of several Rolex watches and on searching his car goods to the value of ten thousand pounds were seized.
There were also several smaller players in the larceny stakes but on the whole it had been a very successful evenings work.
Ben did have the barman arrested and taken to Abbottsford nick but he was not charged with an offence, Ben was just getting revenge for the fact he spilt his beer.
Was that an abuse of power?
Certainly but who cared.
There was a lot of protestation in regard to the eight thousand pounds in cash seized from the game’s tables but to no avail.
The funds seized in this kind of operation are recorded and they are normally donated to local charities in the community it was seized.
Similarly any contraband or unclaimed stolen goods will be auctioned and again the proceeds are donated to local charities.
I don’t think anyone envisaged such a big haul from a simple tip off about an illegal card game.
