A CARDBOARD cop holding a speed gun in Carlops was left without trousers after thieves stole his legs.

The deterrent, nicknamed Pop-up Bob by West Mercia constabulary which first created the ploy, aims to slow drivers down.

The cutout was placed on the 20mph zone on the A702 in the village.

Tweeddale West councillor Drummond Begg (Lib Dem) told a recent meeting of West Linton Community Council that Scottish Borders Council (SBC) had just bought the mannequin.

Mr Begg said: “Pop-up Bob was assaulted last Monday morning and someone ran off with his legs.”

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Police Scotland in October 2021 revealed that in 2018 and 2019, J Division of Police Scotland (Lothian and Borders) bought a total of four Pop-up Bobs at a cost of £891.71.

The FOI stated: “It should be noted that in some areas, the local authorities operate and own these speed calming measures

“No analysis has been done in order to consider effectiveness of these ‘Pop-up Bob’ signs.”

That request also revealed that P and V Division (Fife and Dumfries and Galloway) deploy so-called ‘Pop-up Bairns’ near primary schools.

Dumfries and Galloway has spent £1,055.94 on these while Fife has 11 at a cost of £1,360.95.

The FOI stated: “These ‘Pop-up Bairns’ are used with the aim to make more respectful parking, encourage walking to school, and to reduce speed in the vicinity of schools.”

A spokesperson for Scottish Borders Council said: “We have purchased 12 pop up Bobs/Kirstys for Police Scotland, they are kept and dispatched to locations by Police Scotland.”