Stolen Flares

[TimfromMersea]

My boat is out of the water for the winter, laid up at the victory yard boat park at West Mersea. I found yesterday that someone had been on board, opened my cockpit locker, and stolen all my flares.

They unscrewed the top of the flares canister and left the canister behind.

There were some parachute rockets in there and so I reported it to the police, as these could be a serious danger in the wrong hands, but they seemed to be very uninterested. Also called the Coastguard and they said that they had a few reports of flares being stolen from boats, normally by children who were looking for something to let off.

If anyone is offered discount price flares, or sees flares being let off on the beach and so on, that's where they came from....

(At least saves me the bother of disposing of the out of date ones......!)

 

[tillergirl]

That's a good idea. Can I bring my OOD flares round to re-stock your cannister?

On a more serious note, I am sorry to hear that. I know what it felt like when TG was rummaged in Salcott and the Captain's bunk stolen.

 

[Cobra]

Apparently over the past couple of weeks, flares have been seen in the Colne over the Mersea/Pyefleet area. Police and Coastguards have investigated each time but nothing found...as you say, probably kids messing about, bless them!

 

[Cantata]

Bit surprised that the police weren't interested. marine flares are dangerous enough without getting into the hands of kids!
Pain in the arriss for the CG. Every time a red flare is seen on or near the coast, the local volunteer CG team has to turn out and search, just in case. I would bet I had to do this at least a dozen times in my 15 years in the team, and it was usually at night too.

 

[DavidofMersea]

Bit surprised that the police weren't interested. marine flares are dangerous enough without getting into the hands of kids!
Pain in the arriss for the CG. Every time a red flare is seen on or near the coast, the local volunteer CG team has to turn out and search, just in case. I would bet I had to do this at least a dozen times in my 15 years in the team, and it was usually at night too.

It is bit difficult to know what the police can do, where would they look etc?

 

[Cantata]

They usually have some kind of relationship with local lads, don't they, put the word about that the stuff is dangerous perhaps someone's little minxes will think twice.

 

[tigglestiger]

I discovered an off-shore pack in a locker which expired in 2001! I had a real pain getting rid of them.

 

[LittleSister]

I was wondering where to lay up our boat for a few weeks to do a few jobs. Mersea hadn't been at the top of my list, but if I could get rid of our stock of time expired parachute flares at the same time it would be a bonus!

 

[Cantata]

Excellent idea! :encouragement: