Stolen boat with police number

[ditchcrawler]

This is from Facebook, not my boat

 

We’ve just joined this group today because our beautiful boat has been stolen and the police and Canal Trust suggested we put a message out to fellow boaters.. we’re desperate for any help you might be able to give us.. so thank you in advance

The boat, Ruby, is a continuous cruiser and was being caretaken for a couple of months before possible sale, on the understanding that she would stay on the canal between Oxford and Enstone.

It seems that the bloke we entrusted her with is a seasoned fraudster who completely duped us, and he and Ruby have disappeared. We’ve just received news of a probable sighting a month ago to the north of Banbury, so she could be almost anywhere beyond there now.

Please please would anyone out there let us know if you have any info re her whereabouts and we’d be so grateful if you could keep an eye out .. The bloke is about 5’11”, 30-40 years old, mousey hair/beard (?), round/stocky figure, ‘light’ east midlands accent. Possibly with a woman and/ or a dog (possibly called ‘Neo’?) He goes by the name of Granger Harper or Egan or Wood or any combination of those names and possibly other names too..

Ruby is 50ft, red and green with (or at least did have) 3 large new solar panels on the roof and a pram cover at the bow/front end. Pictures below.

The police case number is: INC-20210216-0543

Thank you for any help!

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by ditchcrawler

[LadyG]

Sorry to learn of this, she's a very distinctive boat with those bow doors.

Let's hope you get it back very soon.

[Sea Dog]

Sad story, and I hope they get Ruby back unadulterated. Once again though, the silver lining to this cloud is that most of us can at least take heart that it's never really just a straightforward theft, is it. 

[john6767]

31 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Sad story, and I hope they get Ruby back unadulterated. Once again though, the silver lining to this cloud is that most of us can at least take heart that it's never really just a straightforward theft, is it. 

 

There is more info on the thread on Facebook.  A boat that looks like it, with CCTV pictures showing no name on the bow (covered with white tape perhaps), no cratch cover, and the index number covered with what looks like white tape, was seen at Syston Leicester yesterday afternoon (15/02/21).

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by john6767

[frangar]

3 minutes ago, john6767 said:

 

There is more info on the thread on Facebook.  A boat that looks like it, with CCTV pictures showing no name on the bow (covered with white tape perhaps), no cratch cover, and the index number covered with what looks like white tape, was seen at Syston Leicester yesterday afternoon (15/02/21).

 

 

I had a stoppage notice that the soar was in flood so shouldn’t be too hard to spot if it’s moving. 

[john6767]

 

1 minute ago, frangar said:

I had a stoppage notice that the soar was in flood so shouldn’t be too hard to spot if it’s moving. 

The indication is that is was moving yesterday.

[frangar]

5 minutes ago, john6767 said:

 

The indication is that is was moving yesterday.

 
Do you know which way??

 

Edited to add. Actually that looks like Mount Sorrel...and the boat is going north. 

Edited February 16, 2021 by frangar

[David Mack]

The police are in hot pursuit.

[john6767]

 

 

6 minutes ago, frangar said:

 
Do you know which way??

 

Edited to add. Actually that looks like Mount Sorrel...and the boat is going north. 

 

A second person on Facebook has seen it on the Soar, and confirms going north.

1 minute ago, john6767 said:

 

 

 

A second person on Facebook has seen it on the Soar, and confirms going north.  Possibly went through Loughbrough this morning heading for Zouch.

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by john6767

[matty40s]

11 minutes ago, frangar said:

 
Do you know which way??

 

Edited to add. Actually that looks like Mount Sorrel...and the boat is going north. 

Looks like Harris boatyard, Syston.

 

The Soar levels are quite high, but still navigableish if you know it. If its got through Barrow deep and the bridge, it may have got stuck at Pillings Lock if CRT have locked it.

 

[GRLMK38]

A boat very similar (identical) to that with a person onboard named very similar (identical) to those mentioned above passed through the Watford flight on Friday 29th Jan at 10:00am under a "special permission" from CRT.  The guy told me why he was heading for Leicester and hence why C&RT had approved the passage, which may or may not be true.  He had a dog onboard. 

 

C&RT has the name of the boat used (not Ruby), the index number used (which may not be this boat but is licensed) and the guys mobile number if the police need access to it.  

 

How do I know, i was the VLockie....

INC-20210216-0543 which force has this been issued by?

[matty40s]

Interesting to see if he used the same boat name , number and telephone number at Foxton.

[john6767]

3 minutes ago, GRLMK38 said:

A boat very similar (identical) to that with a person onboard named very similar (identical) to those mentioned above passed through the Watford flight on Friday 29th Jan at 10:00am under a "special permission" from CRT.  The guy told me why he was heading for Leicester and hence why C&RT had approved the passage, which may or may not be true.  He had a dog onboard. 

 

C&RT has the name of the boat used (not Ruby), the index number used (which may not be this boat but is licensed) and the guys mobile number if the police need access to it.  

 

How do I know, i was the VLockie....

I think that info neds to get passed to the police or the owner, are you on Facebook, it is in the Narrowboat Owners Group, although I could Pm you the owners face book name and you could DM them on FB.  Let me know if you want their name.

[GRLMK38]

Just now, john6767 said:

I think that info neds to get passed to the police or the owner, are you on Facebook, it is in the Narrowboat Owners Group, although I could Pm you the owners face book name and you could DM them on FB.  Let me know if you want their name.

 

It would have to be shared by C&RT as there are GDPR implications (sorry!) - here or FB is not appropriate for sharing the details, particularly as this may or may not be a dispute rather than a crime.

 

The local team is aware of this now and it will be fairly straight forward to check the records at Foxton.

[john6767]

Just now, GRLMK38 said:

 

It would have to be shared by C&RT as there are GDPR implications (sorry!) - here or FB is not appropriate for sharing the details, particularly as this may or may not be a dispute rather than a crime.

 

The local team is aware of this now and it will be fairly straight forward to check the records at Foxton.

Yes, I was really suggesting that owner need to pass on what you have said here to the police so they can talk to CRT.  CRT are I think aware of the stolen boat.

[GRLMK38]

4 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Yes, I was really suggesting that owner need to pass on what you have said here to the police so they can talk to CRT.  CRT are I think aware of the stolen boat.

 

No problem ...

[garibaldi]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

 

There is more info on the thread on Facebook.  

 

 

I thought the photo looked really familiar - thought I was having a really bad case of deja vu.....  actually I think it was from when it was up for sale last year...

Edited February 16, 2021 by garibaldi

[PaulJ]

52 minutes ago, GRLMK38 said:

How do I know, i was the VLockie....

INC-20210216-0543 which force has this been issued by?

 Thames Valley 01865 841148

 

 

 

[SoosieQ]

1 hour ago, frangar said:

 
Do you know which way??

 

Edited to add. Actually that looks like Mount Sorrel...and the boat is going north. 

It’s definitely Syston - Harris’

[Thomas C King]

I know this boat, it was one of two boats moored at a water point in Oxford a few months ago. I spoke with some of the people on it, two men, maybe a woman as well, and a dog. They had just bought it from Whilton and were unhappy with the state of the boat that they'd bought, which would explain why they're now selling it so soon if all of that is true.

 

Presumably these are the ones it was nicked from, and not the thieves?

Edited February 17, 2021 by Thomas C King

[frangar]

12 hours ago, SoosieQ said:

It’s definitely Syston - Harris’

That will teach me to look at it on a phone....What is clearly a building I took for the widebeam "Shed on a Pontoon" thats at Mountsorrel!!....whoops!

[Alan de Enfield]

21 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

They had just bought it from Whilton and were unhappy with the state of the boat that they'd bought,

 

Buying from Whilton, that is hardly surprising.

Whilton would embarrass Arthur Daly and Del Boy combined.

[frangar]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Buying from Whilton, that is hardly surprising.

Whilton would embarrass Arthur Daly and Del Boy combined.

Im amazed the boat isnt heading towards London.....

[Thomas C King]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Buying from Whilton, that is hardly surprising.

Whilton would embarrass Arthur Daly and Del Boy combined.

We also bought our boat from Whilton

[john6767]

25 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

I know this boat, it was one of two boats moored at a water point in Oxford a few months ago. I spoke with some of the people on it, two men, maybe a woman as well, and a dog. They had just bought it from Whilton and were unhappy with the state of the boat that they'd bought, which would explain why they're now selling it so soon if all of that is true.

 

Presumably these are the ones it was nicked from, and not the thieves?

From what has been said on FB, those could have been the people “renting” the boat from the owner, who it is now said have taken the boat, difficult to tell.