He's at it again?

[carlt]

Some on this list castigate overstayers & non licence payers and others seem to think it is ok for someone to break into boats if he is old.

I don't think anyone thinks it is ok to break into boats, whatever one's age.

 

This is just twisting someone else's words to suit your argument.

[chris w]

I don't think anyone thinks it is ok to break into boats, whatever one's age.

 

This is just twisting someone else's words to suit your argument.

You seemed to imply that when your first thought was for Finch rather than Usk when you heard it was on fire. Had he burnt to death on your boat it would have saved many future break-ins, saved police time and saved heartache to the victims of those future break-ins.. More's the pity he wasn't on your boat at that time...... he sounds like a total waste of oxygen.

[carlt]

You seemed to imply that when your first thought was for Finch rather than Usk when you heard it was on fire. Had he burnt to death on your boat it would have saved many future break-ins, saved police time and saved heartache to the victims of those future break-ins.. More's the pity he wasn't on your boat at that time...... he sounds like a total waste of oxygen.

Yes it was my first concern.

 

I knew he was about and I don't believe in the death penalty.

 

My second concern, when I was told that it was torched by kids, was that they got out, unharmed.

 

I have no possessions that are worth the life of another person.

[chris w]

I have no possessions that are worth the life of another person.

......unless it's some worthless scrotes who have broken into one's boat. I'd value my potato peeler above thieving scum.

[Yoda]

Well he might be a pain but he is now immortal. Everyone knows of him and his breaking and entering. He will go down in canal folk law.

[alan_fincher]

Let's hope Finch doesn't read the forum for tips.

 

He'll be breaking into canal-side diesel retailers next, to access those declarations for home addresses of those out boating.

 

On a more serious note, whilst I accept David's explanation of damage done to his boat, it does seem to be the case that usually Finch restricts his attentions to those more easily entered.

 

The original subject of this thread doesn't seem to sound like his normal methods, and I do wonder if some break-ins attributed to him are actually down to someone else.

[carlt]

The original subject of this thread doesn't seem to sound like his normal methods, and I do wonder if some break-ins attributed to him are actually down to someone else.

I know, for a fact, that many break-ins, around the Braunston area, that were attributed to him, were committed by someone else, including ones that Finch held his hand up to, to be "taken into consideration".

[carlt]

......I'd value my potato peeler above thieving scum.

Well you've never made any secret of how you value possessions, over people.

Edited April 21, 2009 by carlt

[Nightwatch]

Let's hope Finch doesn't read the forum for tips.

 

He'll be breaking into canal-side diesel retailers next, to access those declarations for home addresses of those out boating.

 

On a more serious note, whilst I accept David's explanation of damage done to his boat, it does seem to be the case that usually Finch restricts his attentions to those more easily entered.

 

The original subject of this thread doesn't seem to sound like his normal methods, and I do wonder if some break-ins attributed to him are actually down to someone else.

Alan I have to pick you up on one thing., that is if you were refering to me, Martyn, as the OP.

 

My boat was easy to break into, it seems that all the damage, stolen items and tidiness of the breakin is in fact the traits of MR Finch.

 

Please do not think that this is in anyway an "expensive" break in. In all probably no more than £30 worth of damage excluding wine/money stolen. That is if I can get someone to stitch up the cratch cover. The doors are now off set, but can you get this sorted? Idon't know.

[alan_fincher]

Alan I have to pick you up on one thing., that is if you were refering to me, Martyn, as the OP.

 

My boat was easy to break into, it seems that all the damage, stolen items and tidiness of the breakin is in fact the traits of MR Finch.

 

Please do not think that this is in anyway an "expensive" break in. In all probably no more than £30 worth of damage excluding wine/money stolen. That is if I can get someone to stitch up the cratch cover. The doors are now off set, but can you get this sorted? Idon't know.

Fair enough,

 

I read your original post to say that quite a bit had been damaged - I'm pleased it's no worse than it is.

 

I feel sorry for you -it's a worry as many boats are not at all easy to secure.

 

FWIW, we passed Nightwatch on Tuesday 7th April, and from the canal side of things there is no evidence of any break in. But then I guess any damage to cratch cover or hatchways would have been from the "land" side, so we would have been unaware ?

 

Alan

[Nightwatch]

Alan

We actually think the break in was more recent than longer ago as when we arrived at the boat on Good friday the stern cover was off and very little rain water in the engine compartment. We have terrible drain channels.

 

The side hatch is canalside but this was shut back down as if still locked. There is now 8mm bolts with nuts securing the hatch down and in turn keeping the two doors sercure (I hope).

 

I don't want to offend anyone on here, but without exception all that I have mentioned this to have the opinion that is sounds like our friend.

 

Martyn

[carlt]

I don't want to offend anyone on here, but without exception all that I have mentioned this to have the opinion that is sounds like our friend.

It certainly wasn't the copycat I was referring to. Carbon Monoxide got him, a couple of years ago.

[David Schweizer]

Let's hope Finch doesn't read the forum for tips.

 

He'll be breaking into canal-side diesel retailers next, to access those declarations for home addresses of those out boating.

 

On a more serious note, whilst I accept David's explanation of damage done to his boat, it does seem to be the case that usually Finch restricts his attentions to those more easily entered.

The original subject of this thread doesn't seem to sound like his normal methods, and I do wonder if some break-ins attributed to him are actually down to someone else.

I assume that you are referring to the break in on my boat Alan. I am fairly certain that the damage cauased by Mr Finch was probably unintentional. He used a small mooring pin (removed from the bank side where it was holding a tyre fender) to "jiggle the sliding widow catch down so that the window could be slid open. Unfortunately there was a concealed lock on the inside which prevented this happening, and because of this the sideways pressure shattered the hardened glass window into thousands of small fragments. I have since fitted stop bars which are very visible from the outside making it clear that they cannot be slid open from the outside, even if the hinged catch is "persuaded" to drop down.

[ditchcrawler]

Just arrived back from a week away.

 

Arrived at the boat on Good Friday, which wasn't if you read on, and found that we had suffered a break in.

 

I won't go into detail but six brass slide bolts have been broken, two sercurity bars bent with doors and hatch distorted. In addition our cratch cover is damaged, torn etc.

 

All this for a bottle of red wine and about £15 in twenty pence pieces.

 

Everyone I spoke to believe it sounds like our Mr Finch who has been doing this sort of thing for many years. He gets caught, court and either prison or suspended sentance. Then does it all over again.

 

As an aside I will be putting Craftinsure to the test.

 

Any comments?

Hi to David whom we met on out travels.

 

Martyn

I have not heard that Mr Finch is back in circulation so it may be someone else

[Nightwatch]

I have not heard that Mr Finch is back in circulation so it may be someone else

 

 

Oh yes he is.

 

Oh no he's not.

 

Well,I think he is, I also think he's been on my boat, but then again........

[carlt]

Oh yes he is.

 

Oh no he's not.

 

Well,I think he is, I also think he's been on my boat, but then again........

It doesn't really matter who did it.

 

When he's caught, next, he'll be asked to admit to every petty theft on the cut, which he'll do, increasing both his notoriety and the police's clear up rate (and giving him a softer sentence).

[whammy]

Unless I have missed it do we have a description of this Mr Finch i.e. age, build etc. so we can all keep an eye out for him.

I had a an interseting meeting with a chap when we were on the Leicester Arm of the GU just below Foxton a couple of weeks ago, a chap knocked on the side of the boat and asked us if we would fill his water bottle for him which we did, he then asked if he could buy a tin of beans from us, we did not have any beans so could not oblige. He then asked where the next village was and was pointed in the direction of Foxton locks, he set off that way but a very short time later came back and headed south again ?????, the following days when heading south we noticed someone had been lighting fires in the middle of the towpath and we suspected it had been this chap on his overnight stops. This chap was in his late twenties, thin, light coloured long hair and very unkept look (I suppose you would look like that if you are sleeping rough). He had a pushbike and had a few posessions on a trolley type thing that he pulled along behind the bike he also had a small brown dog with him. The next sighting we had of him was just the other day heading south on the GU below Stoke Bruerne. I have no idea if this was Mr Finch or if this chap does get up to anything illegal but he certainly seems down on his luck and it appears he now has punctures in both his tyres on his trolley thing. !!!!!!!

[Nightwatch]

I don't have a recent description of Mr Finch.

 

However your man is probably not Mr Finch.

 

On the Braunston Marina site there is a shory story of him and an image. Not sure how old he is now.

 

Martyn

[alan_fincher]

This chap was in his late twenties.........................

 

I have no idea if this was Mr Finch........................

 

Not unless he has had several face lifts!....................

[whammy]

Not unless he has had several face lifts!....................

 

Thanks very much - appears we have another ''character'' on the tow path

[carlt]

Thanks very much - appears we have another ''character'' on the tow path

Isn't everyone on the tow path a "character"?

[Nightwatch]

Oh yes!

[Catrin]

the following days when heading south we noticed someone had been lighting fires in the middle of the towpath and we suspected it had been this chap on his overnight stops.

We noticed that someone had built a makeshift hearth of bricks and stones and lit a fire on the towpath in a deep part of the cutting across Tring summit when we went across it yesterday - perhaps the same person?

Cath

[the grinch]

This chap was in his late twenties,

 

Definately NOT Finch as he has been boat robbing for over 20 years and I don't he started as a infant!!

[Charlie Breakfast]

I had a an interseting meeting with a chap when we were on the Leicester Arm of the GU just below Foxton a couple of weeks ago, a chap knocked on the side of the boat and asked us if we would fill his water bottle for him which we did, he then asked if he could buy a tin of beans from us, we did not have any beans so could not oblige.

 

Now there is a coincidence . Kielby bridge , same bloke, sounds like the same week , same request.

 

We had no beans but the missus is a softy. He got a mug of tea, tin of soup, 1/2 loaf of bread and the dog got some biscuits....watch out gongoozler's we will be setting up in competition!

 

He said he had come from Scotland and was going to Devon and wanted to know how far to Foxton. He said the day before he had hit a bad bit of towpath and fallen in.

 

Not the dreaded Finch... at least not according to Mug shot photos I've seen... in fact seemed a really good bloke although how you get to Devon on the cut im not sure...... Brentford , Reading , Bristol and then down the hard shoulder? Or do you invest in a peddalo (spelling?)and hit the lumpy stuff after Bristol

 

Chas