Possible Stolen Narrowboat

[Howard]

Hi all,

 

We have had a report of a possible stolen Narrowboat. It was last seen at Platts Eyot in Hampton on the river Thames on 1st September .... since then ....nothing ....

 

The boat is called ' Wisteria ' and is 57 feet long , we do not have a description of the colour scheme i'm afraid.

 

Its possible it has gone downstream through Teddington (although none or the Teddington crew remembers seeing it ) so would be on the G.U. either entering at Brentford or Limehouse . This has been circulated to the upriver locks as well and it hasn't been seen, so most likely it has gone on the tideway....

 

If anybody sees it , would you please contact P.C. Goodall on 0208 247 5862 quoting CAD Number 8048 ...

 

Could you drop me a line also through here, so i can keep Lower Thames Waterways informed too ....

 

I'm sure the owner would be very pleased to see it returned ....

 

Much appreciated everyone !!

 

Howard

Edited September 16, 2006 by Howard

[summer]

has there been an update on this?

[Howard]

No, we have heard nothing so far i'm afraid .....

[Serendipity]

Just wondered whether this sort of thing happens very often?

[Howard]

Not really , this is the first narrowboat i have heard of going missing ...

 

We hear about ski boats all the time, but these are just driven to the nearest slipway and trailered and never seen again ....

 

I mean this chap last saw it on the 1st September and didn't notify us until the 15th , so whoever has pinched it has got a two week head start ....

 

I have definately seen a narrowboat called 'Wisteria' but i couldn't tell you when i saw it this year , i see so many of them .... but the names just stick in your mind ....

Edited October 2, 2006 by Howard

[alan_fincher]

Just wondered whether this sort of thing happens very often?

More than you might expect, I think.....

 

There are 5 further ones listed here........

 

Link to Narrow Boats listed on stolenboat.org.uk

 

Only one of these shows as "recovered".

 

I've heard of others, including at least one from a hire fleet!

[John Orentas]

Just wondered whether this sort of thing happens very often?

 

 

I was going to say never, until I saw Alan's reply. Many attempts have been made over the years mainly with hire boats, all the felons think of the same brilliantly original scam, to hire one for a fortnight and that will give two clear weeks to disguise it such that it can be sold or just disappear into a marina.

 

Some of these efforts have made the national media, I remember seeing pictures from a helicopter showing the crew of a boat busily painting it as they cruised the grand union at the same time waving to the chopper. Another elderly couple went about it very seriously, filled in widow apertures, fitted a solid fuel stove and so on, they even hired a boathouse in which to paint it.

 

They all get caught in a similar way, little do they realise how distinctive some of the minor, almost impossible to hide details of a narrowboat are to those who are familiar with them, someone always blows the whistle.

[tillergirl]

HI new to your forum

 

Found this thread most interesting. The thieves must go to an awful lot of trouble to work out the logistics of stealing a narrowboat - its not like you can pick the lock and speed off in it is it? I can't believe that no one would have seen anything untoward. Amazing ...........

[Serendipity]

I was going to say never, until I saw Alan's reply. Many attempts have been made over the years mainly with hire boats, all the felons think of the same brilliantly original scam, to hire one for a fortnight and that will give two clear weeks to disguise it such that it can be sold or just disappear into a marina.

 

Some of these efforts have made the national media, I remember seeing pictures from a helicopter showing the crew of a boat busily painting it as they cruised the grand union at the same time waving to the chopper. Another elderly couple went about it very seriously, filled in widow apertures, fitted a solid fuel stove and so on, they even hired a boathouse in which to paint it.

 

They all get caught in a similar way, little do they realise how distinctive some of the minor, almost impossible to hide details of a narrowboat are to those who are familiar with them, someone always blows the whistle.

 

Bizarre, and just goes to show most thieves are, in fact, stupid. But what if they arranged craneage a few days out, and the boat ended up at the other end of the country re-painted. I'm sure it would never be recovered then unless it was 1) particularly distinctive, and 2) anyone was looking out for it there?

 

Certainly fine if it was for their own use from then on in - i'm sure there would be some fairly easy way of registering it and licensing it as a new build?

 

Come to think of it it wouldn't be too difficult to sell on with a forged bill of sale from the imagined past. I know when i bought Sunrise i was horrified at the lack of proof that who i'd paid the money to actually owned the boat. At the end of the day it came down to trust.

 

I know i've seen it mentioned on this forum before, but it really is time we had the equivalent of an HPI scheme. You might these days be buying from the legit owner, but they could well have an outstanding marine mortgage after all?

[allybsc]

Bizarre, and just goes to show most thieves are, in fact, stupid. But what if they arranged craneage a few days out, and the boat ended up at the other end of the country re-painted. I'm sure it would never be recovered then unless it was 1) particularly distinctive, and 2) anyone was looking out for it there?

 

Certainly fine if it was for their own use from then on in - i'm sure there would be some fairly easy way of registering it and licensing it as a new build?

 

Come to think of it it wouldn't be too difficult to sell on with a forged bill of sale from the imagined past. I know when i bought Sunrise i was horrified at the lack of proof that who i'd paid the money to actually owned the boat. At the end of the day it came down to trust.

 

I know i've seen it mentioned on this forum before, but it really is time we had the equivalent of an HPI scheme. You might these days be buying from the legit owner, but they could well have an outstanding marine mortgage after all?

 

I think boats should have log books like cars and the onus should be on the new owner not the previous one to tell BW that it has been sold.

Regards,

Ally p.

[Serendipity]

I think boats should have log books like cars and the onus should be on the new owner not the previous one to tell BW that it has been sold.

Regards,

Ally p.

 

 

Yes, but an ownership doc on it's own does not prove that there is not a third party charge on the vessel?

[John Orentas]

Bizarre, and just goes to show most thieves are, in fact, stupid. But what if they arranged craneage a few days out, and the boat ended up at the other end of the country re-painted. I'm sure it would never be recovered then unless it was 1) particularly distinctive, and 2) anyone was looking out for it there?

 

 

 

Hi Serendipity.

 

All boats are particularly distinctive to a lot of people. I don't know how long you have been around narrowboats but there are many folk who could but a manufacturers name to a minuscule detail of a boat that a thief would not be even aware of and remember that people along the canals are warned to look out for a particular stolen craft.

 

I think the record speaks for itself, very few thieves if any at all have got away with it.

[Serendipity]

Hi Serendipity.

 

All boats are particularly distinctive to a lot of people. I don't know how long you have been around narrowboats but there are many folk who could but a manufacturers name to a minuscule detail of a boat that a thief would not be even aware of and remember that people along the canals are warned to look out for a particular stolen craft.

 

I think the record speaks for itself, very few thieves if any at all have got away with it.

 

Hi John,

 

But my point is, if my boat were to go missing and stay on the K&A I know enough people who know the boat and would recognise it. If it were to go up to Manchester say, who would be interested enough to look out for it?

 

I am delighted that although Alan says' it happens more than one thinks, on that particular site it only has two to three reported per year.

[DHutch]

All boats are particularly distinctive to a lot of people. I don't know how long you have been around narrowboats but there are many folk who could but a manufacturers name to a minuscule detail of a boat that a thief would not be even aware of and remember that people along the canals are warned to look out for a particular stolen craft.

Yeah, thats the thing. Hire boats espcially, but there are only a hand full of builders, and the deisgnes very unique to to them.

- Then most boats, even if "off the shelf" are all highly identifiable. There just arnt anywhere near so many.

- Even if you crane it out and move, its not very often you see a narrowboat on the motor way is it! There big and stick out, all motorways have heavy CCTV coverage, so you cna track it to the nearest place it gets off.

- Even if you suceed to dodge most of them, very people have access to a crane/lowloader/marna/60ft shed etc.

 

 

Daniel

[Serendipity]

Yeah, thats the thing. Hire boats espcially, but there are only a hand full of builders, and the deisgnes very unique to to them.

- Then most boats, even if "off the shelf" are all highly identifiable. There just arnt anywhere near so many.

- Even if you crane it out and move, its not very often you see a narrowboat on the motor way is it! There big and stick out, all motorways have heavy CCTV coverage, so you cna track it to the nearest place it gets off.

- Even if you suceed to dodge most of them, very people have access to a crane/lowloader/marna/60ft shed etc.

Daniel

 

Hi Daniel,

 

Off topic, but connected to your last post and you may find it amusing. The company I work for provide lease finance. One of the pieces of kit we financed was a very large and unusual static item of plant (i don't think i ought to say what) installed in the Midlands. When the payments stopped, we went to inspect only to find it wasn't there

 

We found it eventually, as the new 'owner' needed some parts - in the Midi. Now to transport this item would have required a police escort all the way, even though it transpired the agent involved in the 'sale' and transportation knew it was effectively stolen.

[Nb Unity]

Serendipity if a "stolen boat" were to be in manchester i would make time to go looking for it ,as would my son and husband, wether it be on our boat or by bike....the thought of some low-life stealing my boat is unprintable as to what i think of these "people" weve worked hard to get our boats i could go on and on about this

[Moley]

But my point is, if my boat were to go missing and stay on the K&A I know enough people who know the boat and would recognise it. If it were to go up to Manchester say, who would be interested enough to look out for it?

I think this question has just been answered quite comprehensively

We all would.

[Nb Unity]

PS We are in manchester btw... and there are some lovely boats here ...

[Serendipity]

I think this question has just been answered quite comprehensively

We all would.

 

And bless you all, so you would. The spirit of community has been very clearly demonstrated over this very unpleasant, and for the owners, extremely harrowing theft.

 

Julian

[Yoda]

This lesson has made it somewhat imperitive that owners make their boats as individualistic as possible. In this way a colour change will not hide the true boat.

[tomsk]

This lesson has made it somewhat imperitive that owners make their boats as individualistic as possible. In this way a colour change will not hide the true boat.

 

Wise words indeed the strange little alien from

[Hairy-Neil]

This lesson has made it somewhat imperitive that owners make their boats as individualistic as possible. ........

 

And keep them insured at all times....