Theft on Grand Union London x2

[Jasmin Patel]

Hi,

I don't normally post but I thought I would share 

About 2 months ago I had 2 large victron solar panels stolen off the top of my boat roof. Bolts taken off all wires cut. 

No damage inside the boat

 Moored at the junction of Grand Union into Slough Arm.

I then moved from there. A few weeks later down to Little Venice water point. Visitor mooring to get panels put on.

I then had a second break in smashed the kitchen window climbed in and out took various easy to carry stuff. This part is super busy at all times so a bit shocked.

Seems like a lot of west London canal feels unsafe as a solo female boater.

[mrsmelly]

The south Oxford is beautiful and a safe place to be. Have engine, will travel!!

The beauty of boats is they are mobile and enable easy escape from London.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Jasmin Patel said:

Hi,

I don't normally post but I thought I would share 

About 2 months ago I had 2 large victron solar panels stolen off the top of my boat roof. Bolts taken off all wires cut. 

No damage inside the boat

 Moored at the junction of Grand Union into Slough Arm.

I then moved from there. A few weeks later down to Little Venice water point. Visitor mooring to get panels put on.

I then had a second break in smashed the kitchen window climbed in and out took various easy to carry stuff. This part is super busy at all times so a bit shocked.

Seems like a lot of west London canal feels unsafe as a solo female boater.

I have been following this on the London boaters forum

[magnetman]

One of my Boats was broken into some time ago at Limehouse towpath side. Interestingly I found one of my items (easily identified) on eBay and the seller also had solar panels with cut wires. 

Like a pillock I did not track down who it was due to my rather direct communication methods. I messaged them to tell them they were selling something stolen from my Boat and they closed their newly opened eBay account. 

 

In my case it was someone on another Boat and happened in a busy area but at night. 

 

 

 

 

Slough arm area is a dodgy part of the world. I never had any positive vibes from there on the very few occasions I have stopped. Easy road access and 3 different directions to go if one is on a Boat. 

[Jasmin Patel]

I suspect it was a boat expert the locks on the kitchen window were a bit boat specific and I could probably say it was the neatest burglar in the world. Maybe they pretended the boat was theirs. They even politely lowered the blinds after they left.

[MtB]

14 hours ago, magnetman said:

In my case it was someone on another Boat and happened in a busy area but at night. 

 

I suspect so too. I spect nearly all boat break-ins are other boaters.

 

Non-boaters seem totally clueless about what might be inside a canal boat. I reckon most imagine (if they think about it at all) the inside of a boat just has a scruffy sofa, some old bits of rope, a bargepole and is freezing cold. 

[magnetman]

Just now, MtB said:

 

I suspect so too. I spect nearly all boat break-ins are other boaters.

 

Non-boaters seem totally clueless about what might be inside a canal boat. I reckon most imagine (if they think about it at all) the inside of a boat just has a scruffy sofa, some old bits of rope, a bargepole and is freezing cold. 

 

I know that mine was someone on another Boat because of the volume of items (useless scrap mostly) taken and which door they used. It would not have been possible to remove such a lot of gear from that door due to the location. 

 

Other Boats have been cleared by people who came from the land and used vans. 

 

it depends where you are moored. I know someone whose engine was stolen from their Boat when they were moored beside a road. People did see it happening but assumed it was a job being done!

[Jen-in-Wellies]

51 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I suspect so too. I spect nearly all boat break-ins are other boaters.

 

Non-boaters seem totally clueless about what might be inside a canal boat. I reckon most imagine (if they think about it at all) the inside of a boat just has a scruffy sofa, some old bits of rope, a bargepole and is freezing cold. 

That's uncanny. As far as I know, you've never seen inside my boat. 🤣

[matty40s]

51 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 I know someone whose engine was stolen from their Boat when they were moored beside a road. People did see it happening but assumed it was a job being done!

It was...

[MtB]

28 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

That's uncanny. As far as I know, you've never seen inside my boat. 🤣

 

Lol...

 

It wasn't me that broke in, honest! 

 

[magnetman]

26 minutes ago, matty40s said:

It was...

It was an inboard on a trad Narrow Boat. Definitely organised and very plausible to any onlookers. 

 

 

I can see the high vi jackets in my minds eye.