Entry 1 — Met Police search and seizure at home.

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Date: 19 December 2025. Time: 8:00-10:20. Location: private residence, UK. Status: ongojng consequences.

On 19 December 2025, what should have been an ordinary morning abruptly became an event I am still trying to process.
At approximately 8:00 a.m., police officers entered our home under a court warrant. At that time, I was in my bedroom on the second floor, still in nightwear. I heard loud banging on my bedroom door. The door was closed. I stated clearly that I was undressed and asked for a moment to get dressed. I was told that the door would be broken down immediately if I did not open it at once.
Feeling frightened, I instinctively activated the camera on my phone and opened the door. Three police officers entered my bedroom immediately. I was ordered to go downstairs without delay. At that point, I was informed that my relative had already been arrested. My mobile phone was taken from me. I was not given time to properly dress and was escorted downstairs wearing only my night clothes.
While being taken downstairs, I saw police officers inside my relative’s bedroom. Later, my relative confirmed that officers had entered their room in a similar manner.
A search of the house then commenced. My relative and I were kept on the ground floor under constant supervision and were instructed not to move around the house. We were told that if I required water or a blanket, the police would bring it to me. I repeatedly asked what was happening and on what basis, but no explanation was provided.
I was given a copy of a document titled “warrant to enter and search.” The copy provided to me did not display a visible warrant number, the name of a judge, or a signature. I was told verbally only that the investigation related to “vulnerable children,” without any explanation of how my relative or I were alleged to be connected to such a concern.
During the search, police gathered and removed items from my relative’s bedroom. These included electronic devices, personal and collectible items, a souvenir karambit without a blade, and various objects they had previously found outdoors, such as keys and a number plate. Among the seized items was also an object later described as a document belonging to another person. All of these items were taken. My relative was told that their arrest was connected to possession of these items.
My own mobile phone was also seized.
While listing the seized property, police told both of us that if we did not provide passwords to our devices, the devices would not be returned for at least six months and possibly much longer. This applied to my relative’s laptop and phone, as well as to my phone. We were told this directly. Without access to our devices, we would lose access to banking, education, work, and basic communication. My relative is a university student and relies on their laptop for their studies. Under this pressure, we provided access credentials. This was not a free or voluntary choice, but a decision made under the threat of prolonged practical harm.
The owner of the house arrived later. His phone was taken briefly, for approximately five minutes, and then returned. I asked directly whether the investigation concerned my relative and me, and why the house owner was being treated differently. I was told only that “the investigation concerns the whole house,” without further explanation. Later, two of his computers and several other devices were seized, but his phone was not taken.
In total, approximately seven to eight police officers were involved. They were in plain clothes, most wearing black vests marked “police.” The search covered two floors of the house and lasted approximately two hours and twenty minutes. Throughout this time, my relative and I remained under supervision on the ground floor, without freedom of movement. There is CCTV footage from a private external camera showing the arrival and presence of police officers at the property.
After the search concluded, my relative was taken to the police station. I remained at home without my phone and without access to banking applications, financial services, or essential online accounts. I was unable to make payments, manage subscriptions, or promptly restore access to services. Over the following days, I spent significant time attempting to recover access through technical support channels. During this same period, I was in training and preparing to begin a new source of income. This was interrupted and effectively postponed due to the loss of my tools and communications.
At approximately 7:00 p.m., I contacted the police station and asked that my contact details be passed to my relative and that they be informed of their right to contact me. At approximately 11:00 p.m., my relative returned home. They had been released on bail.
They were given a document setting out strict bail conditions, including restrictions on device use, communication, contact with minors, and a requirement to remain at a specified address. These conditions immediately affected their ability to study, communicate, and live normally, despite the absence of any charge at that time.
Following these events, I began sending formal emails to the officer in charge, seeking basic procedural information: the case reference number, my legal status, the legal basis for retaining my phone, and the anticipated process and timelines. Responses were limited and avoided key questions. I submitted further information requests and contacted oversight channels, not as a complaint, but to seek clarity and transparency. On 26 December, I wrote directly to the officer who conducted the search and seizure. At the time of writing, I have received no response.
It is important to state that neither my relative nor I have any prior history with the police, any criminal record, or any background involving unlawful behaviour. This made the events of that morning particularly shocking and disorienting.
For me, this was not simply a procedural matter. It was a sudden and forceful intrusion into my private life, involving fear, humiliation, loss of control, and ongoing uncertainty.