Thefts - be on your guard

[Oddfellow]

A 32ft Cruiser was removed from its moorings tonight at Thorpe and taken towards Norwich by person(s) unknown who appear to have arrived by dinghy.

 

Damage / outcome is unknown currently.

 

 

Thanks to the dilligence of a member of the public, we were able to call this into the police very quickly.

 

The vessel was a private boat.

 

[MBA Marine]

B*stards!!  Where in Thorpe was it taken from?

[Oddfellow]

Private moorings attached to Ferry Boatyard.

[Oddfellow]

We're on this one. It's just been spotted heading at full pelt past Kingfisher towards Brundall.

 

Needs apprehending if anyone's around. Police informed.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I know it might sound a bit negative Andy, but i doubt the police will be interrested. They`ll more than likely give the owners a crime number to give to their insurance company, and report it in their paperwork as a crime that has been successfully dealt with?. If somebody had stolen a BA launch, or anything else belonging to the BA, they would be out searching for it 24 hours a day till they find it, and do everything humanly possible to apprehend the culprits, such as fingerprints, DNA etc etc, but for Joe public, we`re just not worth the effort.  Funny is`nt it how authority always looks after authority, but never the very public who pay their large salaries?.

 

 

Regards to all .......................... Neil.

[Oddfellow]

The police are unbelievable. It's been seen twice now by the owner but still the police launch remains tied up. This would be the new launch that's cost thousands and thousands recently, the one designed to make things easier. They say they're gonna launch it, but when? 

 

It's absolutely crazy; it's worse than crazy; it's a bloody sham.

[MBA Marine]

They dont need to rush, is got a 80hp outboard, once its in the water it wont take minute to get there!

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

The police are unbelievable. It's been seen twice now by the owner but still the police launch remains tied up. This would be the new launch that's cost thousands and thousands recently, the one designed to make things easier. They say they're gonna launch it, but when? 

 

It's absolutely crazy; it's worse than crazy; it's a bloody sham.

 

 

No, i don`t think unbelievable is the right word, Believable is more like it.  If you believe they`ll do NOTHING, then you`ve got it in one. As you say, "it`s a bloody sham". But that`s the modern police service for you.  Whatever happened to "Broadsbeat"?. Just another public relations excersise that cost the tax payers millions, but actually achieves NOTHING.

 

 

Regards to all ......................... Neil.

[littlesprite]

I am led to believe that a helicopter and several cars are in attendance.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I am led to believe that a helicopter and several cars are in attendance.

 

 

No, i think you`ll find that`s to chase down the violent offender who`s rear light is`nt working on his pushbike?.

[ExSurveyor]

Martin, don't spoil a good rant by introducing hearsay :-D. The boys in blue probably can't use the new boat, I expect the nice new outboard was stolen earlier.  A helicopter ! Good luck with landing that near the stolen boat,  cars in attendance, !!  Might be tricky to get to most areas of the river by road. What they need is a nice new boat......     

[MBA Marine]

Why are some so hostile to the BB boat? do you actually think it cost you money? you would have paid the same in taxes whether it got funded or not. its another asset to our local area and much needed with the increase in thefts, its great to see funding put into something useful, the boat is not yet fully commissioned but it soon will be and then it will be on the water a lot more.

 

I would much rather this than extra plod sitting beside the road watching out for a speeder or someone without their seat belt on. 

[diesel falcon]

There doing it Norfolk style........................comes with blue light for 25mph chases!!!        

[Matt]

No, i think you`ll find that`s to chase down the violent offender who`s rear light is`nt working on his pushbike?.

Neil, do you actually believe some of the stuff you write?! LOL!

[Oddfellow]

Chopper and officers were finally deployed last night. It's made local news this morning.

 

The facts are that the theft was reported to me just before six as suspicious activity at / around my yard.

 

I immediately called the police and got hold of someone local to take a look and called owners from the adjacent yard to find out whether it was them that had been seen.

 

Less than an hour later, it was discovered that a cruiser has been taken from the private moorings adjacent and this fact reported to the police. Later still, the boat was witnessed by at least two people belting down the river and by about 10pm, officers and the chopper finally seem to have been deployed looking for a large vessel reported stolen and in use on the Yare over three hours earlier.

 

Would it have happened so slowly if someone was reported overboard and injured?

[Guest]

......Would it have happened so slowly if someone was reported overboard and injured?

 

 

Probably not, but then human life is valued more highly than property theft. (by everyone, hopefully)

 

The EDP24 story is at http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/police_helicopter_firefighters_in_dinghy_and_police_dogs_search_for_large_boat_cruiser_stolen_in_thorpe_st_andrew_norwich_1_3016508#cxrecs_s

 

Bearing in mind the seasonal pitch darkness from even the very start of the crime, the police appear to have deployed a much more significant number of resources and men than just the launch so highly criticized by some on here. I would think a helicopter with a floodlight assisted by land units far more effective in tracking a boat on a river in the dark.

 

It's always been a popular sport to knock officialdom though, rather than waiting for the facts....

[Oddfellow]

Bearing in mind the seasonal pitch darkness from even the very start of the crime, the police appear to have deployed a much more significant number of resources and men than just the launch so highly criticized by some on here.

 

Indeed, but just too slowly by the sound of it.

 

It's very easy for me to sit here and criticise as I know the timeline well as I was in contact with people on the ground (including witnesses) for most of he night. What I don't know for sure is when forces were delpoyed, but it seems that it wasn't nearly quick enough.

[Hockham Admiral]

Probably not, but then human life is valued more highly than property theft. (by everyone, hopefully)

 

The EDP24 story is at http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/police_helicopter_firefighters_in_dinghy_and_police_dogs_search_for_large_boat_cruiser_stolen_in_thorpe_st_andrew_norwich_1_3016508#cxrecs_s

 

Bearing in mind the seasonal pitch darkness from even the very start of the crime, the police appear to have deployed a much more significant number of resources and men than just the launch so highly criticized by some on here. I would think a helicopter with a floodlight assisted by land units far more effective in tracking a boat on a river in the dark.

 

It's always been a popular sport to knock officialdom though, rather than waiting for the facts....

 

   

[Maxwellian]

What we don't know is what else the forces were having to do in financially constrained times. Now where are those moccasins.

[Hylander]

Just out of curiosity ,    How did they get into the cruiser?   How did they start the cruiser?     Pitch dark as you say and not the nicest of weathers,     Is anyone aware of who took the cruiser.      Bet if we left our keys behind we would not be so easily on our way with no keys.           Has someone been able to make a copy of the keys.   Are they left in a boat yard?     Makes you think.

[Matt]

Had the owners reported it stolen or was it just noticed it was missing?

[Guest]

Just out of curiosity ,    

How did they get into the cruiser?  

How did they start the cruiser?    

Pitch dark as you say and not the nicest of weathers,     Is anyone aware of who took the cruiser.      

Bet if we left our keys behind we would not be so easily on our way with no keys.          

Has someone been able to make a copy of the keys.  

Are they left in a boat yard?    

Makes you think.

 

 

I'm afraid the answers to some of those questions may be a bit worrying to most people.

 

The ignition/start key of almost all boats is a very simple affair. 

 

Compared to cars, they are just a very old fashioned key operated switch with two contact points, ignition on, and starter motor. There's no chip in the key, and the wiring behind is usually easily accessible, just undo a few ordinary screws holding the panel on. Then no complicated wiring loom, just the live feed to jumper across to the ignition and starter contacts.

 

Even most isolator switches have the simple red plastic key as well.

 

I've always fitted a simple hidden cutout switch in the line to the starter relay, in the hope that it may just deter anyone trying to nick my boats. 

[Matt]

http://ow.ly/r067C

[MauriceMynah]

Right Ladies and Gents, listen very carefully, I shall say this only once....

 

As I have relatives who are police officers I tend to hear the other side of things, and to be quite frank I'm quite sure that very few of you actually know what goes on.

 

When the crime was first reported, who reading this really knows what action the police took. Who reading this has any idea what manpower was available to police at that moment. Who reading this know what other incidences were occurring at that time?

 

Here's an interesting little fact, One person being found "Drunk and disorderly" will take TWO police officers off the beat for at least an hour, and more often than not one of them for four or more hours after that. Why? Because the officers have "Duty of care" and must ensure that the drunk doesn't harm himself or drown in his own vomit.

 

However back at the "Lets knock the bobbys" Was the BA launch the most effective method of stopping the stolen boat, or would the helicopter and police car back-up be quicker and better? If so were those facilities readily available or were either/both otherwise occupied to be available later.

 

Just out of interest, what would the police boat have done to stop the stolen boat had it caught up with it in the middle of nowhere? Ram it?

 

Now, I can sympathise with Freedom (Andy) as he was in the front line and was therefor feeling frustrated at the apparent inactivity, I have less sympathy for those who choose to make this another opportunity for slagging off one of the most unappreciated organisations I know of.

 

Sorry Neil but you kinda hit a nerve there!

[Hylander]

Thank you Strowager for the explanation,  when I passed my comments to hubby he more or less said the same as yourself.       At the end of the day I cannot see what these idiots get out of doing a stunt like this.       We are such a close knit community  in a restricted area where all eyes are peeled on the look out immediately anything like this is reported.     All they have achieved is causing a great lot of grief to one poor owner who I should think has been having kittens over this and his boat will never seem the same to him again.   A big thank you to them for that.   This element that exists these days have only one thought and that is for themselves.      

 

On the subject of our boys in blue - pity they cant clip these little buggers round the ears like they used to and drag them home to Mum and Dad.