Outboard Thefts - Crime Wave...

[RJD]

Following the theft of my outboard on 5th December I opted in to receiving theft notifications from the insurers website
StolenBoats.org.uk It has been an eye opener to say the least...I will list the notifications roughly

5 Dec Woodbridge Suffolk - 2
27 Dec Waveney Norfolk - 4
1 Jan Papermill Lock Essex - 5
9 Jan South Walsham Norfolk - 5
12 Jan Ranworth Norfolk - 3
14 Jan Ipswich 1
15 Jan South Cerney Wilts - 5
17 Jan Loddon Norfolk - 3
24 Jan Burnham Market Norfolk - 6
5 Feb Thurne Norfolk - 4
7 Feb River Yare Norfolk 3
8 Feb Burnham Yacht Harbour Essex - 4

And, it doesn't end there....Deben Yacht Club had there pontoon outboard lockers forced at the weekend and at least one engine, possibly more has been stolen. The thieves ripped wires out of CCTV camera and turned one around to avoid detection.

The OIC in my case was very attentive but resources are very thin on the ground etc... I tried contacting Essex Police Marine Unit but got no reply to a request made via their Control Room.

Word on the ground seems to be that the engines are being sent abroad via container or lorry for sale on continent...no consolation!

Be aware and pass the word around please, perhaps someone might see something suspicious that will provide a lead to catching the thieves ...
Up Spirits
Tony P

 

[tillergirl]

I think the Essex Marine Unit has been disbanded. If it hasn't, it is going to be as part of the cuts that Essex Police have to make to balance the books. I am afraid nobody has any significant night patrols any more in rural areas. As for where the engines go you only have to go to Africa as I have recently to realise what a ready market exists for second hand goods like that. There are no practical checks that can be made on containers leaving this country in the absence of specific intelligence and nobody abroad in another continent is going to worry a jot if they find a container of outboards being imported. APNR would be useful for us in rural areas (Automatic number plate readers). They are not a perfect solution but would be a start but there would be community fears about them generally of course. You are right - self help is likely to be the best solution. Installing CCTV where it can be damaged is daft though. We seem to have a view that thieves are not very clever but the reality is that there will be some chaps planning - with as much care as you do your passage planning - their next job. They will recce first (yep they do a cost/benefit analysis) - how many will be get, what will we need, how will be get them away, what is our escape route etc and will be as professional at doing what they do as - well any professional. Of course when they are caught it will be the first time and they were out of work and succumbed to the entreaties of an unknown man who offered them next to nothing but they were desperate etc. Oh dear, I am beginning to get cynical.

It would be interesting to know if any of those stolen had their cowls removed and replaced by the anti-theft plastic covers that you used to be able to get from the Essex Marine Unit. In the past, it has seemed as though that has been a useful deterrent because they want to sell a complete unit. Mind you it wouldn't have surprised me to see such a cover on an outboard in Africa.

 

[chinita]

I know this will sound a bit off the wall but when visiting friends in their small boatyard/marina in Angelholm, Sweden I remarked on their extremely cheap berthing charges.

The answer was fairly detailed but part of it was the nil cost of security. Security was carried out by one member (or couple) doing one all night stag for one night a year.

They would stay in the marina office and patrol as they wished, flashing their torchlight at will.

IMO, just the knowledge that the premises are occupied would be enough to persuade potential thieves to move on.

They want an easy hit, not a fight.

 

[tillergirl]

I think you may just have hit upon one of the original principles of policing! One person from within the community appointed to undertake 'policing' duties for all the rest. Trouble is today with all the employment laws and whatever, it takes many officers to provide a 24/7 coverage.

 

[FulmarJeddo]

We had 2 officers from the Border Force drive into our club back in the summer. They just came in for a nose around as they saw our usually locked gate open. They were asking if we ever saw anything suspicious, ie Drug smuglers. The conversation went on asking if we ever had any Eastern Europeans uninvited on site. Apparently, they regularly see vans loaded up with outboards going out through Dover driven by Eastern Europeans. They can do nothing as although they know they are probably stolen, they are going out of the country before the owner has even missed it, probably the same day it was stolen. The Border Force can only sieze anything that is on the database as stolen. Current law doesn't say the van driver have to prove it is theirs.

 

[tillergirl]

I'm in danger of blowing a gasket. You are right and it shows the nonsense of employing civil servants in our Border Agency. You are right that the van driver does not have to prove it is theirs - everyone has the right of silence (Article 6 if I want to be really boring) and the burden is on the prosecution to prove the goods are stolen but that doesn't mean that they cannot be detained during an investigation. I appreciate that 'investigation' is an old fashioned concept completely unknown in the United Kingdom unless its in the war against terror. They are entitled to ask questions - and as result of those questions they get a reasonable suspicion that the goods are stolen then they can take some actions. Such as interfering with the 'suspects' right to liberty (Article 5 to be really really boring). But the BF people you spoke to were probably Customs Officers who never understood investigation. That's why the National Investigation Service of the Customs was completely abolished and passed either into the Serious Organised Crime Agency or the Border Force. We have an army of people now who could not investigate their way into a paper bag - and it makes me utterly mad. And as for things being on the national database!!!! We suffered a burglary in our shed - the lawn mover, strimmer, power tools etc stolen. I did get the offer of a scene of crime officer but I told them my background and that it would be pointless - despite that a scene of crime officer attended to look at the shed and say it was pointless him being there. Having had no other contact - like a detective - do you remember them. Coming and investigating the fact that only 4 people knew we were doing a day trip to France that day for example - anyway when I got the victim letter, I rang the number to provide all the model and serial numbers of the stuff stolen (being a serially boring anorak). 'Why would we want that detail?' was the reply. So the second chance of a detection went flying. I will not say what I said.

It is utterly pathetic. We have people who don't know what they are doing led by better paid people that don't know what they are doing.

By the way if anybody bought the nice cordless power drill off ebay and would like the charger and battery, send me a PM.

 

[Koeketiene]

We have people who don't know what they are doing led by better paid people that don't know what they are doing.

Only too true - alas.
And in many fields of modern life too.

 

[tillergirl]

Only too true - alas.
And in many fields of modern life too.

Thankfully we are still around!

 

[FulmarJeddo]

But the BF people you spoke to were probably Customs Officers who never understood investigation. .

Yes you are probably right. They were in a uniform of sorts, more like a well worn boiler suit. Probably the guys that crawl around in the back of lorries looking for illegals, or the bilges of ships looking for drugs or cigarettes.

 

[chinita]

Not just a problem in the UK.

Bicycle theft is rife in Spain.

A few months ago I was driving from Seville towards Gib and overtook a Moroccan registered Luton van with at least 50 bicycles tied on the roof (God knows what was inside the van). Heading for Algeciras and the ferry no doubt.

 

[DanTribe]

Some time ago my sailing club had the outboard stolen from a rescue boat.
One of the club members was a builder and saw the very distinctive engine in the backyard of a property, next to where he was working.
Being a good citizen he reported it to the police instead of nicking it back.
Nothing was heard so the club visited the police.
Oh yes, they had investigated.
How?
Well, they visited and asked the householder if he had a stolen outboard in his garden.
He said no.
No further action!

 

[Marmalade]

bit of thread drift but in response to tillergirl's points I add my experience last year - my wife's card details were compromised and the account used to buy some airline tickets. The police took details but said they could / would do nothing. I pointed out that as the purchases were airline tickets (think about it) they knew exactly where the thieves would be and when. It simply hadn't occurred to them.

 

[chinita]

OTOH, many years ago I had my cheque book and cards stolen.

The police, through the assistance of the bank, traced where they had been used, what had been bought and when.

They produced copies of the till roll from Sainsbury's in Aldershot, took statements from the checkout girl who described the couple who made the purchases.

Turned out it was an Army colleague (a student of mine on a course I was running). Further evidence was gleaned by a handwriting expert comparing writing on the cheques with previous mess bar chits. The guy was was subsequently arrested but not charged.

He left the service very soon after. I think there were mental health issues as it was hushed up.

I got all of this from the Military Police Special Investigations Branch about 6 months after the theft. They called to see me and laid all the evidence out on the desk. It was very impressive.

How much of this was Military Police and how much Plod I don't know - but I suspect the former.

 

[RJD]

Sorry to Tillergirl for raising the blood pressure! - you appear to have summed up the situation very nicely. Being 'old Bill' I know where you are coming from and share the frustrations... I enquired as to when and if the NCA became interested or involved in investigating property theft and nobody seemed to know. Back in the good ol' days, the Regional Crime Squad or local task force would have been up on their toes and doing the 'job'.
Fortunately, my insurer paid up without quibble but I would have preferred to have my known and trusted outboard back! - must remember to postcode the new one as I did the old one in the hopes that if ever it gets nicked....

End of story!

TonyP

 

[DavidofMersea]

A friend of mine painted his outboard bright pink, saying "nobody will steal that now, and if they do, it will be very noticeable"

 

[chinita]

A friend of mine painted his outboard bright pink, saying "nobody will steal that now, and if they do, it will be very noticeable"

Well, if it is nicked, look no further than here:

http://www.ksa-nyc.org/