Reporting suspicious activity

[NickG1]

I have to say that if they were hardened gangsters or people trafficers, it seems a bit dumb to launch their boat at a sailing club where there would undoubtedly be suspicious people around. I suspect they are first time buyers who havent got a clue. of which there are plenty around at the moment

 

[DavidonMersea]

I have to say that if they were hardened gangsters or people trafficers, it seems a bit dumb to launch their boat at a sailing club where there would undoubtedly be suspicious people around. I suspect they are first time buyers who havent got a clue. of which there are plenty around at the moment

I see you have joined us to day, and this is your first post, and you are trying to divert attention from these people, Were you one of these men?

 

[NickG1]

I see you have joined us to day, and this is your first post, and you are trying to divert attention from these people, Were you one of these men?

How did you guess? Yes I'm one of Essex's most notorious crimelords specialising in people trafficing, drug running, PPE supply and general extortion. If you breathe a word of this to the Police, I will come for you. After all how many Davids can there be in Mersea?

 

[Daydream believer]

I have to say that if they were hardened gangsters or people trafficers, it seems a bit dumb to launch their boat at a sailing club where there would undoubtedly be suspicious people around. I suspect they are first time buyers who havent got a clue. of which there are plenty around at the moment

First time buyers do not normally come equipped with expensive fish finders with GPS plotters & go along the opposite shore 0.6 miles away in choppy water checking the depth.

 

[NickG1]

Really? A fish finder is not much more than an expensive echo sounder and pretty much everyone navigates these days with a plotter, both perfectly normal on a big RIB used for cruising (rather than a RIB used for tender work)

I still think they must be the dumbest criminals in Essex to draw so much attention to themselves if nefarious activity was their aim. More likely they were a bunch of rich kids out of London with more money than sense, some of which they blew on a new boat

 

[Daydream believer]

Really? A fish finder is not much more than an expensive echo sounder and pretty much everyone navigates these days with a plotter, both perfectly normal on a big RIB used for cruising (rather than a RIB used for tender work)

I still think they must be the dumbest criminals in Essex to draw so much attention to themselves if nefarious activity was their aim. More likely they were a bunch of rich kids out of London with more money than sense, some of which they blew on a new boat

they were not "kids".
When I used the term RIb that was a mistake. It was more a folding dinghy with a floor that looked like a RIB when assembled. Plus what looked like a large outboard. It actually went into the back of the car. I assume The fish finder would have to be held over the side . It seemed to be about 18 inches * 12 inches box ( unless that was its battery) with GPS on top. Of course it may not have been a fish finder & they may have not been telling the truth about looking for fish. But they did talk about the shallow water to me & a friend.
Nothing adds up

 

[Scotsailor]

Folding dinghy with a 10hp outboard. Surprised it didn’t sink

 

[Daydream believer]

Folding dinghy with a 10hp outboard. Surprised it didn’t sink

Another thing that surprised up

Folding dinghy with a 10hp outboard. Surprised it didn’t sink

I was in the process of editing that to "large" when you posted . We commented afterwards that it seemed too big . What size do you need for a planing dinghy with 3 adult males on board?

 

[Andy61]

Daydream Believer, have a look at Nestaway Boats, they now do a folding rib. I looked at them at SIBS 2019 and it was impressive. It was also fairly distinctive in looks with various accessories. They do a package with engine. I thought it was quite expensive but maybe if you have a new Mercedes it would be a mere trifle. In any case IDing the boat could produce a good line of enquiry.

 

[STOL71]

Today 3 foreign guys with limited English language skills turned up at our club. ..

unsure where the relevance is that they are foreign.

 

[Daydream believer]

unsure where the relevance is that they are foreign.

I bet you would do well at writing the media report for the BBC on some of our terrorist attacks?

 

[STOL71]

I bet you would do well at writing the media report for the BBC on some of our terrorist attacks?

I am foreign myself living in the UK, hence I was wondering.

 

[Daydream believer]

I am foreign myself living in the UK, hence I was wondering.

I am sure that we would not have a problem with that & no doubt you are a law abiding citizen. However, if you were engaged in activity that raises interest would it not be reasonable to point out that you might be ( this is an example) chinese, asian or whatever. If one did not know the nationality & it seemingly was not an "essex boy" ( if one can use the term in a non derogatory way) would it not be fair to point that out. Or are you embarrassed in being of a different nationality to the indigenous population?
You should not be neither should it be wrong for me to differentiate . Or are you going to suggest it was in some way "racist" in which case my earlier jibe (#31) might well have been apropriate
In any event i made the statement & i stand by my right to point it out in the original post. It was in no way meant to demenour you or other foreigners living in the uk. Only to apply a start to the identification process. By the way, they were all male. I hope no men were offended but it does narrow down the search criteria by 50% all ladies can rest easy

 

[Scotsailor]

I am sure that we would not have a problem with that & no doubt you are a law abiding citizen. However, if you were engaged in activity that raises interest would it not be reasonable to point out that you might be ( this is an example) chinese, asian or whatever. If one did not know the nationality & it seemingly was not an "essex boy" ( if one can use the term in a non derogatory way) would it not be fair to point that out. Or are you embarrassed in being of a different nationality to the indigenous population?
You should not be neither should it be wrong for me to differentiate . Or are you going to suggest it was in some way "racist" in which case my earlier jibe (#31) might well have been apropriate
In any event i made the statement & i stand by my right to point it out in the original post. It was in no way meant to demenour you or other foreigners living in the uk. Only to apply a start to the identification process. By the way, they were all male. I hope no men were offended but it does narrow down the search criteria by 50% all ladies can rest easy

But these people have not committed any crime. Well nothing that I can see. So why would anyone need to identify them anyway?

 

[Daydream believer]

But these people have not committed any crime. Well nothing that I can see. So why would anyone need to identify them anyway?

Bit late when they do though. If people had been looking out for suspicious activity some people on this forum might well have not had their boats broken in to. Are you suggesting that MI5 should sit back & wait for a terrorist attack on the basis that no one had committed any offence untill the bomb went off
I am sorry your reasoning seems floored to me

 

[Biggles Wader]

Well Im floored by the whole thing. Did you report your suspicions to the police and if so what was the outcome?

 

[Daydream believer]

Yes reported. & acknowledged

 

[Supine Being]

A few years ago I went to take the lines of a 23ft sailing boat coming into Burnham one evening. I stood at the end of the berth and the bloke on the front handed me his bit of string and said "ta very much, mate" in a strong Scouse accent. As I made it off, he proceeded to climb precariously over the pulpit to make a leap for the pontoon - he clearly had no clue about stepping over the side like a normal person. I put it down to them buying a boat with the first clue how to sail it. It wasn't until much later, after someone that grew up in South Woodham Ferrers told me that the Crouch used to be a major heroin trafficking route, that I thought back to it and realised that the two guys that I encountered were possibly dodgy.

Anyway, I'd report what you saw if that's what your gut tells you to do.

 

[Caraway]

As an update - i spoke to the lady who let them in to the club. They offered to pay the £ 290-00 club membership fee there & then . Also I thought they had been fishing & when I asked them if they had seen any fish they said they had. I then asked them if they had caught any, but they said that they had not had any luck. It appears that they did not actually have any fishing rods whatsoever.
We are looking to see if their brand new 80 grand merc appears on the club CCTV

Ah You didn't memorise the number?

 

[Caraway]

But these people have not committed any crime. Well nothing that I can see. So why would anyone need to identify them anyway?

Oh for heavens sake! Are you not British? It's what we do. Policing by committee. Where do you think Neighbourhood Watch would be if we all waited for people to commit crime?