Staines, Surrey – A mother of two was left in a police custody cell for over seven hours after she confiscated two iPads from her children, only to be falsely accused of theft.
Vanessa Brown, 50, a history teacher, was arrested after she took the devices away in an attempt to ensure her daughters focused on their studies. The incident, which unfolded on the morning of her arrest, led to her being taken to Staines Police Station, where she was subjected to a search, fingerprinting, and photographic procedures.
Surrey Police later acknowledged their error after discovering the devices belonged to Brown’s children, and that she had every right to take them.
“I suffered unspeakable devastation and trauma,” Brown told LBC, reflecting on the events. “They sent multiple police cars to my children’s school, removed one of my daughters from class, and arrested me all based on a completely false report of theft.”
Brown was apprehended at her mother’s home in Cobham, Surrey, and was only returned there after an exhausting 12-hour ordeal. During her detention, her bail conditions threatened to prevent her from seeing her children on Mother’s Day.
Brown was later informed that no further action would be taken, but not until over 24 hours had passed since her arrest, leaving her in a state of shock. She expressed disbelief at the heavy-handedness of the police response, especially considering the seriousness of other crimes in the area that weren’t being addressed with the same urgency.
“They didn’t stop to think, ‘maybe this is an overreaction,’” she said. “It was unprofessional, and they treated my elderly mother like she was a criminal.”
The incident has sparked concern over police priorities, with some questioning why resources were spent on this case while more serious reports, like assaults and thefts, reportedly went unaddressed for days.
Former police and crime commissioner Anthony Stansfeld called for a public apology from Surrey Police, describing the handling of the case as “incompetence” and “overzealousness.”
“The actions taken here were completely unnecessary,” said Stansfeld. “It’s hard to imagine why such an experienced individual, a 50-year-old history teacher, was treated this way.”
Surrey Police explained that a man in his 40s had reported the iPads as stolen, prompting the investigation. A tracking device on the devices led officers to Brown’s home, where they arrested her. However, after further inquiry, the police determined that the iPads indeed belonged to Brown’s children, and she had a right to confiscate them as part of her parenting.
The police spokesperson confirmed that after the investigation, Brown was released on conditional bail, and the case was closed without any charges.
