Pikeys again

[byron]

'Flyaway' a Broom 35 Sedan that moors with me was broken into some time in the last 3 weeks. They got in by smashing a side window on the landward side but it is quite definite that they came by boat. . . probably a dinghy.
Objects taken include Booze, Waterproofs and a hand-held Satnav but strangely not things like VHF, fixed Satnav, TV etc. The damage done is considerable but at least they didn't vandalise the interior.

 

[Chris_d]

That doesn't sound good, hope they don't venture further upstream.

My boat was broken into last month as well. I came down to find the hatch ajar, it is quite easy to spring if you know what your doing, so no damage was done to it, i quickly looked around for obvious items that you would have expected to go missing but nothing had gone.
But they had left the food locker open and had found and cooked themselves a packet thai curry, the saucepan had been left in the sink and filled with water to soak!

Clearly a better class of pikey up here.

 

[Brayman]

Are you sure it wasn't you sleepwalking?

 

[byron]

Funny that Chris because one of the places the thieves had checked was the Fridge. They were clearly looking for food too.

 

[matt_lake]

RE: Pikeys Again

We moor in the same reach as Alexander towers and have had 2 attempted break-ins this summer. Both on a Friday night / Saturday morning at 2-3 am. Second time the guy forced open the side window and got the shock of his life to find me onboard! Several boats on the Moulsford Prep and Beetle & Wedge moorings have also been done.

There are a couple of fast RIBs and speed boats that race about at night and I'm certain they are related to all the problems in the Cleeve reach this year.

Keep em peeled!

Matt

 

[Ramage]

{There are a couple of fast RIBs and speed boats that race about at night and I'm certain they are related to all the problems in the Cleeve reach this year.}

A strand of piano wire from Byrons over to the Beetle & Wedge would soon settle their hash.......

 

[byron]

We moor in the same reach as Alexander towers and have had 2 attempted break-ins this summer. Both on a Friday night / Saturday morning at 2-3 am. Second time the guy forced open the side window and got the shock of his life to find me onboard! Several boats on the Moulsford Prep and Beetle & Wedge moorings have also been done.

There are a couple of fast RIBs and speed boats that race about at night and I'm certain they are related to all the problems in the Cleeve reach this year.

Keep em peeled!

Matt

I knew about the break-ins near Moulsford Prep (actually those are Roger Boseleys moorings) because I pop in to Rogers at least once a week and he and his farm manager come here for a cuppa and a natter at least once a week. I wasn't aware of problems over the Beetle side though. However as that area is a public path it has always been susceptible. Rogers moorings are prone because they are somewhat isolated.

 

[sturmvogel190a]

I knew about the break-ins near Moulsford Prep (actually those are Roger Boseleys moorings) because I pop in to Rogers at least once a week and he and his farm manager come here for a cuppa and a natter at least once a week. I wasn't aware of problems over the Beetle side though. However as that area is a public path it has always been susceptible. Rogers moorings are prone because they are somewhat isolated.

Byron don`t know if this is connected but in the Newbury Weekly News this week is a report of 2 blokes trying to steal the old Tri hull Triad moored on the Pangbourne reach just upstream of the College boathouse ,they tried to tow the boat upstream using a smaller [Tugboat] quote and its engine died so they cut triad loose and ended up stranded on the pilings just above the weir .
the fire rescue boat was called but they had made it to shore by then and the waiting old bill nicked them , Mr magraw the chap who`s boat [Triad] was being nicked saw them and broke his foot rushing down to confront them but did get it on video apparently.
The guy nicked is Adam Fisher a 32 yr old from Hertfordshire has been released on bail to report to newbury cop shop on the 15th December acording to a police spokeman.
Couple of things spring to mind [1] that old boat has been moored there in a very sorry condition for the best part of 20 years so why would anyone want to steal it ?? although it must have been a great craft in its day.
[2] They attempted to steal it at 5pm to presumably to navigate the river without coming across a locky to ask questions but how were they going to get it out of the water ?? to big for a trailor methinks?? .
So was it river pikeys hoping to tow it upstream and live on the islands above you?? ,Just don`t make sense its not like a small sports boat that they could get out of the water easily and more importantly have a chance of selling on to some poor sod who didn't know better?/.
As a footnote the boat being nicked Triad ended up moored perfectly on the Pangbourne College moorings blown there by wind and current so at least she didnt get more damaged or damage anyone else's boat Steve.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Byron don`t know if this is connected but in the Newbury Weekly News this week is a report of 2 blokes trying to steal the old Tri hull Triad moored on the Pangbourne reach just upstream of the College boathouse ,they tried to tow the boat upstream using a smaller [Tugboat] quote and its engine died so they cut triad loose and ended up stranded on the pilings just above the weir .
the fire rescue boat was called but they had made it to shore by then and the waiting old bill nicked them , Mr magraw the chap who`s boat [Triad] was being nicked saw them and broke his foot rushing down to confront them but did get it on video apparently.
The guy nicked is Adam Fisher a 32 yr old from Hertfordshire has been released on bail to report to newbury cop shop on the 15th December acording to a police spokeman.
Couple of things spring to mind [1] that old boat has been moored there in a very sorry condition for the best part of 20 years so why would anyone want to steal it ?? although it must have been a great craft in its day.
[2] They attempted to steal it at 5pm to presumably to navigate the river without coming across a locky to ask questions but how were they going to get it out of the water ?? to big for a trailor methinks?? .
So was it river pikeys hoping to tow it upstream and live on the islands above you?? ,Just don`t make sense its not like a small sports boat that they could get out of the water easily and more importantly have a chance of selling on to some poor sod who didn't know better?/.
As a footnote the boat being nicked Triad ended up moored perfectly on the Pangbourne College moorings blown there by wind and current so at least she didnt get more damaged or damage anyone else's boat Steve.

Sorry to hear you'r having trouble in that neck of the woods. I used to coach rowing on that stretch of the Thames years ago ..... or shouldn't I have said that ???
John Magraw you mention above, taught me Day Skipper years ago. He's a lovely 'academic eccentric' and no mistake. His boat was always getting broken into so I'm surprised it's still in one piece or even afloat.
He was often telling us about the great speakers they have at their inland offshore club which was based in Wantage. http://www.whitehorsecruisingclub.co.uk/future.htm
He is a great story teller to the point that we learnt very little from him during our course directly related to Day Skipper, but indirectly he passed on a huge amount of knowledge much of it far more important than that of the course.

 

[byron]

I have wondered for years about TRIAD; who owned her and why she was being allowed to slowly rot away.
Lord knows what the thieves were thinking about because they'd never get past Mike at Goring or Ian at Cleve. Certainly if they did manage to pitch up on the Islands then someone up here would raise a query. I am curious to know now what boat they were using to tow with, I hope the Old Bill have given it a spin for stolen gear.
As regards TRIAD. Possibly the thieves thought she was abandoned and no one would care if she went.

 

[Chris_d]

I can't believe someone tried to nick Triad, what on earth were they going to do with it, can't think that there was anything on board worth having.

Triad was once a very well travelled boat, I too did a Day Skipper John Magraw and remember his tales, he took Sea Scouts all over the South coast and North sea in her.
He was obsessed with carrying three of everything, 3 radios, 3 depth sounders, 3 compasses, 3 engines and as he used joke about Triad he even had 3 hulls!

 

[sturmvogel190a]

I have wondered for years about TRIAD; who owned her and why she was being allowed to slowly rot away.
Lord knows what the thieves were thinking about because they'd never get past Mike at Goring or Ian at Cleve. Certainly if they did manage to pitch up on the Islands then someone up here would raise a query. I am curious to know now what boat they were using to tow with, I hope the Old Bill have given it a spin for stolen gear.
As regards TRIAD. Possibly the thieves thought she was abandoned and no one would care if she went.

Byron the report just says smaller tugboat so anyones guess ,they were stranded against the pilings at the top of the weir but had managed to get to the bank by the time the fire brigade got there and the old bill nicked them,don`t know if that means they swam for the bank or managed to get the boat over there ?? .
Those islands were the only place i could think of where someone daft enough to nick her might think they could leave her but as you say the chance of remaining undetected or getting through the locks was remote at best ,At least they nicked the scumbag Steve.

 

[apollo]

Maybe they needed it for Firewood?

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

He was obsessed with carrying three of everything, 3 radios, 3 depth sounders, 3 compasses, 3 engines and as he used joke about Triad he even had 3 hulls!

This advice has stuck with me.

On a recent voyage in a Nic'38' to Spain direct from Plymouth, I took most of the basic 3's and those which had vulnerability to lightening strike were kept in a tin box - farraday cage, as advised by JM

 

[No Regrets]

Watching poor old Triad fester away was like watching a Gypsies Pony.

Cruel...

 

[Ubergeekian]

John Magraw

Sorry to hear you'r having trouble in that neck of the woods. I used to coach rowing on that stretch of the Thames years ago ..... or shouldn't I have said that ???
John Magraw you mention above, taught me Day Skipper years ago. He's a lovely 'academic eccentric' and no mistake.

He taught me too - later on I taught the Day Skipper classes in Headington for him. A lovely man, and if anyone knows contact details for him, please PM me so I can get back in touch.

When I knew him, by the way, he worked at the Rutherford Appleton Lab, running shake tests on satellites before they were sent off to be launched.

 

[puddock]

As someone who is not familiar with The Thames area and to be perfectly honest, not of the obvious educational standards as yourselves, I would just like to convey my shared sympathies at the events of the above post. We are all boat owners, be it Sail, Motor, Broads Cruiser or what have you. I am sure, however, that we share the same anxiety every time we leave our vessels to their own devices.

I hope they are found soon.

 

[Cliveshep]

As someone who is not familiar with The Thames area and to be perfectly honest, not of the obvious educational standards as yourselves, I would just like to convey my shared sympathies at the events of the above post............................
QUOTE]

Does he mean we're all thick 'cos we run stinkpots and can't navigate? I'll 'ave you know I navigated to Teddington lock by lining up two nails stuck in the foredeck!

Seriously, that was a rather nice post!

 

[No Regrets]

Seriously though, it's all very well castigating the Pie-Keys for nicking somebody elses property, but whats the ethical stance on leaving the vessel to rot away, thus creating an eyesore to all passers by?

That in itself is almost a crime....

 

[Ubergeekian]

Seriously though, it's all very well castigating the Pie-Keys for nicking somebody elses property, but whats the ethical stance on leaving the vessel to rot away, thus creating an eyesore to all passers by?

I know a little bit about how that came about. I'm not going to spread it, but I assure you that it came about as a side-effect of an extremely generous act.