Thieving scrotes

fisherman

fisherman

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Hypathetically asking; if i were to get a bilge keeled yacht and leave it in a remote swinging tidal mud mooring, (Helford) is it definitely going to be broken into and stripped of instruments. I accept the outboard(s) would be at risk, are the electronics etc readily resaleable?
 
fisherman said:
Hypathetically asking; if i were to get a bilge keeled yacht and leave it in a remote swinging tidal mud mooring, (Helford) is it definitely going to be broken into and stripped of instruments. I accept the outboard(s) would be at risk, are the electronics etc readily resaleable?
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Scrotes will take anything and everything they think may have a value, from an outboard to a torch!
 
VicS said:
Scrotes will take anything and everything they think may have a value, from an outboard to a torch!
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+1

Mate found his lifejackets stenciled with boat name, stolen from Conwy mooring, on display for sale at Northern Boat Jumble.

Idiots hadn't even tried to take name off, that stupidity ranks alongside a shoplifter/office raider we reported to police one time, had his name Baz tattooed on back of his neck.
 
We have about a thousand boats of various descriptions here at West Mersea.

There have been a number if incidents of outboards being stolen from vessels left at the jetty. but in the 15 years I have been here, I have only heard of one episode of boats on a mooring being broken into.

Damage was done to washboards on about half a dozen boats. Strange things were taken ( knives, bottles of rum etc) but as far as I know, no electronic or other valuable gear.
 
It probably depends on the intelligence of the thieves. If they have done their homework and looked at the price of 2nd hand instruments on eBay, then they will take them. If they know little about boats, they may not realise what they are worth and not bother removing panels etc to get them out. At one time I always used to leave all my instruments in place whilst ashore fore the winter, until I needed to buy a replacement display for one that had gone faulty. Now they are safely tucked away in the garage.
 
davidej said:
There have been a number if incidents of outboards being stolen from vessels left at the jetty. but in the 15 years I have been here, I have only heard of one episode of boats on a mooring being broken into.

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This what i was wondering, I don't hear of boats on the main mooring area in Helford being robbed, but my punt was knicked from near the road. If I was more out of the way, but also in deep mud you can't walk on, will they go robbing by boat?
 
When our UK YC marina was 'done' a few years back the scrotes arrived by water and mostly what was stolen was sell down the pub for enough for a fix stuff. In our case we lost booze, binoculars, a car radio and a handheld vhf without a means of recharging it and none available in UK. Next door they took designer waterproof jackets and hats and a portable generator.
 
fisherman,

there are two distinct levels of scrote;

the type we get 99% bother from are apprentice scrotes from the big council estate during school holidays, who will break hatches causing a lot of grief to the owner, then just steal torches etc.

On a happy note, the last lot who'd done this to us repeatedly over a few days ended up stuck in the dangerously soft mud requiring a Coastguard rescue, the photo inc' incriminating footprints all the way to the boat they were hoping to rob was on national newspapers - of course we can't take photo's of minors but let's say they know we know them and they haven't been back :)

Incidentally as a photographer I've found many times just firing a flashgun without any film puts off miscreants a treat.

The 1% one can't really legislate for are pro' thieves; they had a very heavy 40+hp outboard off a neighbouring boat a few years ago, simply bolt cuttered through the control cables - they didn't get far but the owner was left with a right mess to sort out.

The late great Mike Peyton did a cartoon of a crossbow facing the main hatch, operated by foot pad;

likewise the dodgily believable Tristan Jones said he left a bottle of scotch out, laced with poison -

The snag with both these wizard wheezes is I can see them getting the boat owner or chums far more easily than the scrotes !
 
My heavy anchor was stolen whilst the boat was in a deep swinging mooring (Southampton). Unfortunately, some fishermen assume the automatic right to systematically strip yachts from anchors and outboards.
 
Most thieves are inherently risk averse (believe it or not!) and they are also lazy.

So you can wonder (low effort) through 40 boats on a jetty casing them while looking innocent because you could belong to any of the 40 boats or just be a passing touristy type (low risk). Or you can row (high effort) out to one of 5 boats on a distant mooring. All 5 owners likely know each other. If any of them see anything odd they are likely to ask questions (high risk).

Boats on moorings do occasionally get done. But far more likely if ashore.

Removing kit each time is never good for it. Its not something you can insure against. While having it stolen is a right royal PITA and may well cause damage to other bits of boat etc. But it is something you'd insure against.

Probably wise to make sure opportunity is reduced. If the tender is ashore (and others) is it secure? Or at least the paddles etc secure?

Does your (hypothetical) boat look like it will have expensive bits on board? Or look like it will have a 1960's VHF held together with gaffa tape? Guess which one the robbing swines will look at... Just saying make sure the boat next to you looks better equipped :-)
 
Apparently round my way, its common knowledge that whilst a particular individual is in prison, no outboards get stolen and when he's released they start going walkies and this pattern continues. I guess some people are beyond rehabilitation!
 
Seajet said:
fisherman,

there are two distinct levels of scrote;

the type we get 99% bother from are apprentice scrotes from the big council estate during school holidays, who will break hatches causing a lot of grief to the owner, then just steal torches etc.

On a happy note, the last lot who'd done this to us repeatedly over a few days ended up stuck in the dangerously soft mud requiring a Coastguard rescue, the photo inc' incriminating footprints all the way to the boat they were hoping to rob was on national newspapers - of course we can't take photo's of minors but let's say they know we know them and they haven't been back :)

Incidentally as a photographer I've found many times just firing a flashgun without any film puts off miscreants a treat.

The 1% one can't really legislate for are pro' thieves; they had a very heavy 40+hp outboard off a neighbouring boat a few years ago, simply bolt cuttered through the control cables - they didn't get far but the owner was left with a right mess to sort out.

The late great Mike Peyton did a cartoon of a crossbow facing the main hatch, operated by foot pad;

likewise the dodgily believable Tristan Jones said he left a bottle of scotch out, laced with poison -

The snag with both these wizard wheezes is I can see them getting the boat owner or chums far more easily than the scrotes !
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Such distain for the lower classes, lots of wizard wheezes and pranks and so many of ones chums are famous. It has just dawned on me - you are Lord Lucan!
 
More than once near here there has been a theft of old electronics, then once the new stuff was fitted they did the same boat for brand new kit and got the boxes it came in.
 
fisherman said:
I wonder what an ear-damaging siren would do in a small space. I suppose they would just stuff their earoles and carry on.
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WE installed an alarm with such a siren after 'our' break-in. Also added warning labels. Scrotes returned for a second go (common according to plod after allowing time for insurance replacements to be in place. We were left alone but neighbours both sides were done again. My only conclusion was that the labels did their job in diverting scrotes elsewhere.. Seajet is right too, local plod knows who the scrotes are, even had nicknames for them in our case, but sadly no evidence. Marina CCTV showed nothing more than images of scrotes with hoodies covering faces, gave a timeline but no useable evidence. Our YC and others locally then set up our own very visible nightime watches and patrols including waterborne in mooring areas and in boatyards ashore and the problems stopped. Our marina in the USA had gated access to pontoons and regular armed patrols, yet still a boat would get 'done'
 
fisherman said:
I wonder what an ear-damaging siren would do in a small space. I suppose they would just stuff their earoles and carry on.
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When my - and 5 other boats ashore for the winter - was broken into, I had just such an ear splitting alarm, but like most clubs it was remote enough to give them time to smash it.

The best help the forensic WPC offered the next day was " can I have a bit of your smashed alarm as a souvenir "...

I've been called a lot of things, but Lord Lucan is a new one; please stick with it, it might give me a certain dashing air of mystery ! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP0HHX4Ur9g
 
I know a few outboards went missing a little while ago (maybe a few years now) from the Helford. How big is the F/V? Would it be more worthwhile taking it round the coast and up the beach at Cadgwith or maybe Mullion? might be cheaper in the long run if nothing gets pinched.
 
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