IN this social media age of mass communication, parts of the public sector actually seem to be communicating less and less in any meaningful sense. This week, Dorset Police. They deem the theft of a wheelie bin, beer keg and a jar of honey worthy of press releases with pictures. But when a large number of officers are running around Bournemouth with the helicopter overhead, it’s a PR shutdown. Until today when Inspector Heather Dixey puts the matter to bed.

Another week, another very strange sense of police priorities when it comes to keeping the public informed.