mjcoon
Well-Known Member
That's a shame; hornets are generally live-and-let-live. Of course, they can set up home so close to yours that that may be impossible...
Mike.
Catching an intruder on your boat
- Thread starter Nostrodamus
- Start date
That's a shame; hornets are generally live-and-let-live. Of course, they can set up home so close to yours that that may be impossible...
Mike.
Robin
Well-Known Member
The kind of low-life losers who nick what they can find and run away if challenged don't worry me at all, but people suffering from paranoia, people who see the world as a dangerous place and live in constant fear of being attacked, and fantasise about inflicting violent retribution, now they really do scare me.
Understood, but have you been burgled? When our house was ransacked (OK we were away not there in person) the burglars spent the night there, made filter coffee and drank from my duty free collection. They went through our collection of music tapes, ripped up the ones they didn't like and took the rest. They then went through all our photographs and personal letters, then arranged them neatly on the bed to show that they had been ogling them, together with the contents of SWMBO's underwear drawer set out neatly. They took everything we had that we owned and had been collecting ready for when we moved to our own house from what was a temporary (6 month) rental of a furnished house, but because we started there with nothing we were uninsured for our own stuff. We lost 2 TVs, a washing machine, the dryer, the HiFi, all the duty free spirits from loads of X-Channels, a lot of foreign currencies and all the credit/debit cards and chequebooks I had left behind as not needed for whilst we were in the USA, plus all of SWMBO's jewelry. They even took the bedding and duvet. The police warned us that we should be prepared for them to return having given us long enough to replace everything again on the insurance (that we didn't have..)
We moved just as soon as we could. You might see perhaps why some paranoia creeps in however.
Conachair
Guest
Is being murdered in your bunk a common occurance in European marinas then?
capsco
Well-Known Member
Maybe not yet but if no consequences to their actions it may soon be so.
DownWest
Well-Known Member
I agree about the hornets here. Pretty docile, but previous experience in the south was different. And now we have the asiatic bu++ers, extremely agressive. Not seen one yet, but certainly around here. Killed at least one person in the department.
I leave the normal hornets alone, cept when in the house. Try to shoo them out, but if that fails...SWAT.
DW
Poignard
Well-Known Member
No. I have a burglar alarm. (Insurer's requirement - not mine!)
But this thread is about an intruder on a boat who, as Nostrodamus pointed out, may have been no more than a student looking for somewhere to get out of the rain!
I was simply commenting on the over-the-top reaction of some posters to things they read on here. For example, not long ago, some loonie posted that he would "punch the lights out" of anyone who touched his boat with a boathook! Can’t you see how childish this appears? Grown men losing all sense of proportion and rationality.
I suppose the poor wretches are to be pitied, because they must live in some sort of private hell, dominated by fear of what might happen to them. Glad I don’t live there!
Scotty_Tradewind
Well-Known Member
I was ashore late winter and had worked onboard that day. I decided to sleep onboard and made myself comfy in the forepeak with 5" b/w telly.
I suddenly became aware of a huge amount of water cascading into the boat from the washboards and my immediate thought was that' I was sinking'!!
I gathered myself and got through the boat to the companionway in the semi-darkness to find a hose pipe had been jammed under the sliding hatch and the tap turned on by some little b******.
I immediatly got on top of the boat and heard running footsteps going off into the darkness.
No real damage done and a story to tell, but what would have happened if I'd been away from the boat for an hour and left it open with the telly going..... it makes me shudder to think.
I was very angry at the time and I'm sure I'd have been in an aggressive mood if I'd caught up with whoever... but then so might they and who knows what would have been the outcome??
Robin
Well-Known Member
We too have burglar alarms. The one at home is a monitored one linked to a centre where they call out the police or fire brigade as needed, it came about after a call from 'victim support' after our boat was done because I guess plod was on commission. The one on the boat was installed after the same break in.
As for the poor innocent intruder, well! Our boat is just that, OURS! At best an intruder is attempting a break in that at the least will cause damage, at worst who knows. When our boat was done we were not on board but were told by the police that the culprits were most probably local druggies looking to nick quick sale down the pub stuff to get money for drugs. How would you deal with a druggy breaking in if you are board and how would you differentiate between him and a possible poor wet student? I know I wouldn't be about to offer a cup of hot tea and a warm bed for the night!
Scotty_Tradewind
Well-Known Member
I'm interested to know what type?
Poignard
Well-Known Member
The OP, Nostrodamus, seems to have had no difficulty assessing and coping with the situation. I guess most of us are capable of doing the same.
But I'll leave you to enjoy your heroic fantasies. Meanwhile, I am having to sleep downstairs because of a slipped disc, so the alarm has to be shut off, and I can't sleep without a window open. Unfortunately, I don't have an AK47 handy, or a hand grenade to fasten round my waist so maybe I'll get burgled or murdered in my bed! Oo-er!
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Now you've got me really worried - why do you want to know?
(I'll email you tomorrow)
timmygobang
Well-Known Member
I bought this burglar alarm for my folks last xmas after some scrotes broke into my dads shed, it calls my mobile if anyone breaks in.
http://tinyurl.com/czgbjws
For the first 3 months I regularly had calls to my mobile phone with the pre-recorded message of my dad saying in a posh accent 'someone has broken into the house'. Eventually my mum got the hang of the alarm system
Nostrodamus
Well-Known Member
As the original poster thank you for the replies which were very intresting.
I suppose to a certain extent I was better prepred mentally as after 30 years in the Police dealing with everything and everyone imaginable it is easier to keep a strait head. I had also had 30 yars of self defence training.
Everyone will react differently and a lot will be to do with past experiences or the fear you may feel at the time.
We are near to some good South Afrian friends who spent a lifetime sleeping with guns, tasars, radios and alarms in their bedroom because they probably quiet rightly believed anyone entering their house would be armed nd had no respect fo life. I have no doubt that should the same intruder have gone to their boat at the very least intensive care would have one more patient.
Anyone breaking into your boat will be more scared than you. If they hear you getting up they will run, provided they are not cornered. If there is a chance of getting caught they will not bother and go elsewhere.
I believe that electrical components shop (whos name illudes me) in the UK sell a cheap window alarm which will work on most hatches. When closed there is a connection but when opend and the alarm is activated it sounds a siren. Even a flashing led near the door is a deterent as is a sign saying you are on CCTV on the hatch.
I know we should not have to do this but the fact of life is not all people are the same. Even other boaties have been know to equip their boat from yours.
Have you also ever stopped to wonder where the market is for stolen boat equipment? Just a thought when you see or are offered that cheap seond hand bit of equipment.
I suppose to a certain extent I was better prepred mentally as after 30 years in the Police dealing with everything and everyone imaginable it is easier to keep a strait head. I had also had 30 yars of self defence training.
Everyone will react differently and a lot will be to do with past experiences or the fear you may feel at the time.
We are near to some good South Afrian friends who spent a lifetime sleeping with guns, tasars, radios and alarms in their bedroom because they probably quiet rightly believed anyone entering their house would be armed nd had no respect fo life. I have no doubt that should the same intruder have gone to their boat at the very least intensive care would have one more patient.
Anyone breaking into your boat will be more scared than you. If they hear you getting up they will run, provided they are not cornered. If there is a chance of getting caught they will not bother and go elsewhere.
I believe that electrical components shop (whos name illudes me) in the UK sell a cheap window alarm which will work on most hatches. When closed there is a connection but when opend and the alarm is activated it sounds a siren. Even a flashing led near the door is a deterent as is a sign saying you are on CCTV on the hatch.
I know we should not have to do this but the fact of life is not all people are the same. Even other boaties have been know to equip their boat from yours.
Have you also ever stopped to wonder where the market is for stolen boat equipment? Just a thought when you see or are offered that cheap seond hand bit of equipment.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Have you also ever stopped to wonder where the market is for stolen boat equipment? Just a thought when you see or are offered that cheap seond hand bit of equipment.
Spot on!
Seajet
...
Originally Posted by Nostrodamus
Have you also ever stopped to wonder where the market is for stolen boat equipment? Just a thought when you see or are offered that cheap seond hand bit of equipment.
Spot on!
Agreed, spot on; and why I don't go to boat jumbles...
Have you also ever stopped to wonder where the market is for stolen boat equipment? Just a thought when you see or are offered that cheap seond hand bit of equipment.
Spot on!
Agreed, spot on; and why I don't go to boat jumbles...
Robin
Well-Known Member
I think I'm seen by some as one of the shoot 'em all regardless brigade but maybe it all depends on perspective.
Firstly I think you can divide responses into two camps, those that have been burgled and those that have not been burgled (yet).
Trust me the attitude to burglar bill changes dramatically when you see personal letters and photographs neatly laid out on your bed with SWMBOs underwear alongside them, sort of giving a nice message to her maybe, especially as he now has the telephone number from the handset as well? Now my SWMBO is a tough American, very tough in fact and not many would dare mess with her but that did have an effect and we moved house as a result. Plod BTW had warned us that it was common for thieves to return for a second helping once you had time to replace stuff on insurance, very reassuring that was.
When our last boat was 'done' shortly after we bought it we got lucky because they managed to break in by jumping the main hatch off the washboard lock without actually breaking anything. They stole personal rather than boat specific stuff (the pub sale things) and didn't rip out electronics installed in the woodwork at the chart table for instance. Others on our pontoon were not so lucky. TWELVE boats were done that night, so my guess is a gang of scrotes not just one, so are these the scaredy cat run off ones or the stand and knife you ones? Answers on a blood stained tee shirt please.. Anyway others on our pontoon found smashed washboards, smashed sliding hatches (try finding a new one of those for a 20 year old boat), torn out radio/CD players leaving split wood panels and so on, but like I said we got lucky as we skipped the damage bit. This was all in October BTW so quite possibly someone could have been on board any of these boats, it was a foul night with gales and driving rain so hatches would have been shut and especially our side of the pontoon since we were arse into the wind and rain.
We will be living on board in the USA. Should we assume any middle of the night visitors are scaredy cat run offs or what? I don't know the answer to that because it is a work in progress! We will be based in a gated marina with security patrols and quite a few other liveaboards nearby so not too bad but we will be in downtown Daytona Beach and nudging Drug Street and Scrote Avenue where the residents shoot each other for sport when there's nothing on TV.
Firstly I think you can divide responses into two camps, those that have been burgled and those that have not been burgled (yet).
Trust me the attitude to burglar bill changes dramatically when you see personal letters and photographs neatly laid out on your bed with SWMBOs underwear alongside them, sort of giving a nice message to her maybe, especially as he now has the telephone number from the handset as well? Now my SWMBO is a tough American, very tough in fact and not many would dare mess with her but that did have an effect and we moved house as a result. Plod BTW had warned us that it was common for thieves to return for a second helping once you had time to replace stuff on insurance, very reassuring that was.
When our last boat was 'done' shortly after we bought it we got lucky because they managed to break in by jumping the main hatch off the washboard lock without actually breaking anything. They stole personal rather than boat specific stuff (the pub sale things) and didn't rip out electronics installed in the woodwork at the chart table for instance. Others on our pontoon were not so lucky. TWELVE boats were done that night, so my guess is a gang of scrotes not just one, so are these the scaredy cat run off ones or the stand and knife you ones? Answers on a blood stained tee shirt please.. Anyway others on our pontoon found smashed washboards, smashed sliding hatches (try finding a new one of those for a 20 year old boat), torn out radio/CD players leaving split wood panels and so on, but like I said we got lucky as we skipped the damage bit. This was all in October BTW so quite possibly someone could have been on board any of these boats, it was a foul night with gales and driving rain so hatches would have been shut and especially our side of the pontoon since we were arse into the wind and rain.
We will be living on board in the USA. Should we assume any middle of the night visitors are scaredy cat run offs or what? I don't know the answer to that because it is a work in progress! We will be based in a gated marina with security patrols and quite a few other liveaboards nearby so not too bad but we will be in downtown Daytona Beach and nudging Drug Street and Scrote Avenue where the residents shoot each other for sport when there's nothing on TV.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Well that puts a totally different complexion on it. I'd be scared living there!
Of the many countries I visited as a professional seaman, including third world and iron curtain countries, the USA is the only one in which I can honestly say I ever felt it would be unsafe to go for a walk ashore.
Robin
Well-Known Member
In some areas yes and you certainly need to know where the bad areas are as some tourists have discovered the hard way. That said most of the homicide crime that isn't domestic is inter-gang or drug related and none of those risks generally spread to normal individuals in normal neighbourhoods.
As an ignorant Brit I once was severely berated by SWMBO for running low on gas and being forced to seek a fill up in a 'bad' area on the way to Chicago O'Hare and trying to return the rental car on empty. Mind you it was safer in the gas station than in the car with SWMBO... Leaving Orlando this year our satnav still thought we were in Gatwick and we stopped at a gas station to buy a local map as we were trying to find an AT&T store to get USA SIMs for our phones. SWMBO was inside and I stayed in the car fiddling with the satnav, which suddenly decided to work. In the meantime 3 evil looking drunks arrived in a beat up pickup, went inside and were calling SWMBO and another woman inside white trash and other nasties whilst upending their beer cans. The cashier had pressed the police call button under the counter, but SWMBO had seen me waiving so stopped filling her coffee mugs and left so we escaped before Florida's Finest arrived. Bad areas!
wrr
Well-Known Member
Newtown at Night
Sleeping under cockpit tent on a Drascombe with 10 year-old son. Woken by the sound of rowing followed by a blow in the ribs from an oar. Instinctively, I pushed back on the oar and emerged from under the tent to find two boys in the water and a tender drifting away. I debated loudly with them whether I would let them drown but then reluctantly hauled them aboard. The nett results are our sleeping bags becoming sodden and my son being terrified. Another boat owner rows across to us, having being watching the two boys. He kindly volunteers to row to the yacht from which they had come and brings back a very embarrassed parent, who also supplies us with dry sleeping bags. Boys are brought back to apologise again next day.
Risk, had they boarded, I might well have done permanent harm to at least one of them (dark night, uncertain of their intentions, protecting son etc.).
Lasting harm, son never wanted to stay overnight on boat again....
Sleeping under cockpit tent on a Drascombe with 10 year-old son. Woken by the sound of rowing followed by a blow in the ribs from an oar. Instinctively, I pushed back on the oar and emerged from under the tent to find two boys in the water and a tender drifting away. I debated loudly with them whether I would let them drown but then reluctantly hauled them aboard. The nett results are our sleeping bags becoming sodden and my son being terrified. Another boat owner rows across to us, having being watching the two boys. He kindly volunteers to row to the yacht from which they had come and brings back a very embarrassed parent, who also supplies us with dry sleeping bags. Boys are brought back to apologise again next day.
Risk, had they boarded, I might well have done permanent harm to at least one of them (dark night, uncertain of their intentions, protecting son etc.).
Lasting harm, son never wanted to stay overnight on boat again....
