Boat Search

[Supermalc]

With mobile communication now being accessable to many, would it be an idea to start a 'boat search' website. Friends of mine run Lurcher Search, for people who loose dogs. A few volunteers could easily run this, as there are relatively few boats go missing, as apposed to dogs/cars etc. Also boats move much slower than dogs/cars so there should be more time to allow the search.

 

If there were people on each waterway, who regularly checked in, surely this would be a way of finding 'lost' boats. Obviously most boat thieves rely on the fact many boats go unattended for weeks at a time.

[tomsk]

With mobile communication now being accessable to many, would it be an idea to start a 'boat search' website. Friends of mine run Lurcher Search, for people who loose dogs. A few volunteers could easily run this, as there are relatively few boats go missing, as apposed to dogs/cars etc. Also boats move much slower than dogs/cars so there should be more time to allow the search.

 

If there were people on each waterway, who regularly checked in, surely this would be a way of finding 'lost' boats. Obviously most boat thieves rely on the fact many boats go unattended for weeks at a time.

 

Sounds like an excellent idea.

 

How would we go about hosting it? Could it be done as part of this site? (with over 2000 members you would have a ready made member base). How would you legislate for 'malicious/false reports?

 

I think you would need the co-operation of the Facists and maybe reporting structure should remain unchanged i.e owner reports theft to Facists in usual manner, Facists issue Crime/Incident number then, through a Liason-Facist they report details daily to the site for desemination to us, the boating public.

 

I am unsure of levels of this sort of crime, but judging from the unfortunate and ongoing 'Cragdale' affair it would seem that we as a community are ideally placed to 'keep an eye' on the situations around us. The police in general have other things on there mind and limited resources for rivers/canals, my experience is that most boat owners intimately know 'their' stretch of water and pick up on 'strange' boats/goings on in double quick time.

 

If there was a centralised system of notifying waterway users AT AN EARLY STAGE most boat thefts would be frustrated

 

Without wishing to sound like a frustrated facist myself this can only be good thing.

[Liam]

Yeah, a good idea, although...

 

Due to the amount of boats you hear being nicked it wouldn't be used that much but when a boat does go missing, I'm thinking it could be a very handy thing to have!

[Moley]

Sounds like an excellent idea ... How would we go about hosting it? Could it be done as part of this site? (with over 2000 members you would have a ready made member base).

This site has something approaching two and a half thousand registered users, but I would like to know how many of those log in daily / weekly or how many have visited at least once in the last month.

 

I think you would need the co-operation of the Facists and maybe reporting structure should remain unchanged i.e owner reports theft to Facists in usual manner, Facists issue Crime/Incident number then, through a Liason-Facist they report details daily to the site for desemination to us, the boating public.

Owner reports theft to Fascists (note spelling Tomsk ), Fascists issue crime number then do SFA about it and exhibit utter incompetence at every turn. Communication is entirely one-way. With Cragdale they now have credit card information, but why wasn't that the first thing they checked, and now the Officer In Charge is away, no-one else seems to be lifting a finger.

 

If there was a centralised system of notifying waterway users AT AN EARLY STAGE most boat thefts would be frustrated

Agreed. I have asked Eugene what systems already exist, but no reply as yet.

Given the membership of this site, spread right across our waterways, I'm amazed that no-one has yet spotted Cragdale. If she's been craned out, surely that's a fairly specialist operation, there are only so many firms who would undertake the job and limited locations where it could be accomplished. Surely to goodness that would be easy enough to check.

 

I simply cannot credit that, in this day and age when Big Brother is watching our every move, a theft like this can go un-noticed. I have a mobile phone, it's in my pocket and switched on, and I understand they communicate with their host networks every few minutes, so at some point around 7.30 this morning Tesco Mobile or GCHQ have registered that Moley's Phone is on the move. I've got in my car and driven less than 2 miles out of town, where I've passed one of those blue boxes on poles. I am assuming here (can anyone tell me precisely what they do?) that I've been photographed, OCR software (Optical Character Recognition) has read my number plate, it has been logged somewhere that S839XXX was here at 07:36 and my road tax, MOT and insurance could probably be checked within nanoseconds. Three miles later I pass another, then I go cross-country and don't think I'm logged again until I go home (but my mobile knows I'm now in WV5 8XX).

 

At the weekend I go off on the boat. 8 hours cruising ‘upstream’ I go through manned locks at The Bratch where my craft registration is logged and my licence is checked. Downstream through Stourport and onto the Severn I pass through manned locks and am recorded as doing so.

 

So what the ***k happens with all this information and how's it possible to nick a car or a boat?!

[alan_fincher]

With mobile communication now being accessable to many, would it be an idea to start a 'boat search' website. Friends of mine run Lurcher Search, for people who loose dogs. A few volunteers could easily run this, as there are relatively few boats go missing, as apposed to dogs/cars etc. Also boats move much slower than dogs/cars so there should be more time to allow the search.

 

If there were people on each waterway, who regularly checked in, surely this would be a way of finding 'lost' boats. Obviously most boat thieves rely on the fact many boats go unattended for weeks at a time.

My turn to say "Why reinvent the wheel".....

 

There already is a site.....

 

Link to www.stolenboats.org.uk

 

It's already been mentioned in connection with that theft (post 15 in the thread), and has just been raised again now.

 

If there are multiple sites of that type, would it just not dilute the likelihood of each being looked at in any great numbers ?

[Moley]

My turn to say "Why reinvent the wheel".....

There already is a site.....

And I don't see Cragdale on it. What I do see though is...

 

Latest Thefts

Showing results 1 to 10 of 1212

 

Latest Recoveries

Showing results 1 to 10 of 62

 

Don't think it's working somehow

[Supermalc]

My turn to say "Why reinvent the wheel".....

 

There already is a site.....

 

 

Exactly my point. A large 15ton? object has been moved at no more than 6mph along a limited corridor; yet had 'disappeared'

 

So 'why reinvent the wheel'? Because it's obviously square, and not fit for purpose. Why aren't the liveaboard community, or the ones with mobile net access logging on/checking it. Don't they know? Don't they care !!!

 

In my experience, boaters in the main are mainly the best bunch of people I've come across.

 

I'm not knocking anyone, or anything, just trying to communicate, and get others to.

[tomsk]

This site has something approaching two and a half thousand registered users, but I would like to know how many of those log in daily / weekly or how many have visited at least once in the last month.

 

Owner reports theft to Fascists (note spelling Tomsk ), Fascists issue crime number then do SFA about it and exhibit utter incompetence at every turn. Communication is entirely one-way. With Cragdale they now have credit card information, but why wasn't that the first thing they checked, and now the Officer In Charge is away, no-one else seems to be lifting a finger.

Agreed. I have asked Eugene what systems already exist, but no reply as yet.

Given the membership of this site, spread right across our waterways, I'm amazed that no-one has yet spotted Cragdale. If she's been craned out, surely that's a fairly specialist operation, there are only so many firms who would undertake the job and limited locations where it could be accomplished. Surely to goodness that would be easy enough to check.

 

I simply cannot credit that, in this day and age when Big Brother is watching our every move, a theft like this can go un-noticed. I have a mobile phone, it's in my pocket and switched on, and I understand they communicate with their host networks every few minutes, so at some point around 7.30 this morning Tesco Mobile or GCHQ have registered that Moley's Phone is on the move. I've got in my car and driven less than 2 miles out of town, where I've passed one of those blue boxes on poles. I am assuming here (can anyone tell me precisely what they do?) that I've been photographed, OCR software (Optical Character Recognition) has read my number plate, it has been logged somewhere that S839XXX was here at 07:36 and my road tax, MOT and insurance could probably be checked within nanoseconds. Three miles later I pass another, then I go cross-country and don't think I'm logged again until I go home (but my mobile knows I'm now in WV5 8XX).

 

At the weekend I go off on the boat. 8 hours cruising ‘upstream’ I go through manned locks at The Bratch where my craft registration is logged and my licence is checked. Downstream through Stourport and onto the Severn I pass through manned locks and am recorded as doing so.

 

So what the ***k happens with all this information and how's it possible to nick a car or a boat?!

 

 

I agree with all your points and offer profuse apologies for my poor spelling, the mere thought of Plod makes my spelling circuits wibble.

 

The whole thrust of my finely honed augument was precisley that Mr Baston and his august agency or The Fascists could utilise 2.5 thousand boaters sprinkled liberally across the system to help locate stolen boats.

 

I think we must accept that Those Who Were Bullied at School need to prioritise their work and 'crimes against property' (probably/hopefully insured), rightfully feature quite low in the list where people are being murdered and children are being abused along with all the other distastful activity that seems to form part of life in the 21st century.

 

The reason your car is photo'ed as you move about is there is a PROFIT MOTIVE, which does not feature in the reclaimation of stolen property.

 

If you have no tax or MOT you will be issued a fine, which generates PROFIT, which as we all know, is what LIFE IS ALL ABOUT. BOO!!

[alan_fincher]

If she's been craned out, surely that's a fairly specialist operation, there are only so many firms who would undertake the job and limited locations where it could be accomplished. Surely to goodness that would be easy enough to check.

 

Not trying to be a pessimist, but when I sold my last boat about 30 years ago, the bloke just booked a crane and a bloke with a lorry, and brought it to a suitable location where road and canal run side by side. (He was working on the M11 motorway construction, and I'm not sure either were legitimately "hired" for the operation).

 

A bit hair-raising, (the crane was below spec for the lift, and alarm bells were sounding), but less than 20 minutes later my pride and joy was on its way up the road, never to be seen by me again.

 

All that was left after the operation were two 2 foot diameter holes in the pavement where the crane feet had sunk in about 4 to 6 inches during the lift. Hardly evidence, though.

 

If someone is unscrupulous, I don't think it's to hard, unfortunately.

[bottle]

Hi Moley

 

Reference those blue boxes they are traffic counters (not camera's) they go to a central computer and the info is used to inform those that have sat-nav (and pay extra) where the next traffic jam is and some sat-nav can re-route you to miss it.

[Supermalc]

Of course it's possible to steal anything, given intelligence and proper equipment. But I'm talking about LOOKING for something that is lost. This boat (or any boat) could easily be found. It's just not enough people are looking.

 

And as Moley has already pointed out, CCTV capture our every move. Has the footage of the relavent area been seen, as to NBs on lorries. And yes, they will have covered it up, if they are that organized.

[alan_fincher]

Hi Moley

 

Reference those blue boxes they are traffic counters (not camera's) they go to a central computer and the info is used to inform those that have sat-nav (and pay extra) where the next traffic jam is and some sat-nav can re-route you to miss it.

Be careful.

 

A lot of blue things on poles around our way ARE cameras, (as opposed to those small boxes pointed at your lane from motorway bridges, that generally are not). Not sure of the cameras capabilities, but physically they don't look a lot different from the ones that read your numberplates, and allow average speed through motorway roadworks to be calculated. Roadside ones may only be there for traffic monitoring, (not sure), but could probably be used to do much more than that.

[Supermalc]

With mobile communication now being accessable to many, would it be an idea to start a 'boat search' website.

 

Anyway, to get back to my original point. Forgetting organized crime/criminals spiriting boats away, and organisations already set up....would this be a good idea......YES or NO.

[tomsk]

Anyway, to get back to my original point. Forgetting organized crime/criminals spiriting boats away, and organisations already set up....would this be a good idea......YES or NO.

 

YES

[alan_fincher]

And I don't see Cragdale on it. What I do see though is...

 

Latest Thefts

Showing results 1 to 10 of 1212

 

Latest Recoveries

Showing results 1 to 10 of 62

 

Don't think it's working somehow

Agreed Cragdale's not there - it seems (from other thread) only police or insurers can get a boat added. (I didn't realise that). Not much use if not done quickly, I agree.

 

Not sure about the stats, although there are a number of pretty recently added narrowboats on there.

 

I hadn't really looked at it before, but you can arrange to get emailed if boats of certain types are added.

 

To my mind, by far it's biggest drawback, is that it is not really geared up for canals, and "Canal boat", or "Narrow boat" are not it seems, recognised categories.

 

It would not be hard for them to encompass inland users, I'd have thought, and presumably in the interest of the insurers and police to do so.

 

So "yes", it's probably not that useful, unless that's done

[Moley]

Anyway, to get back to my original point .... would this be a good idea......YES or NO.

YES

 

Skirting quickly around the blue boxes and whether or not my paranoia is misplaced, to reiterate a point above, if I move my boat 20 miles upstream or 10 miles downstream my details are taken (okay, probably by a bloke with a clipboard). What happens with that information?

[tomsk]

YES

 

Skirting quickly around the blue boxes and whether or not my paranoia is misplaced, to reiterate a point above, if I move my boat 20 miles upstream or 10 miles downstream my details are taken (okay, probably by a bloke with a clipboard). What happens with that information?

 

Absolutely beggar all.. Prolly just an exercise in licence checking.. Anyone in 'authority' care to dispute?

[fuzzyduck]

Yes malc, and this is something John and I have discussed.

 

I figured using a forum type system with a topic for each currently nicked boat would be the best way to go.

[Noble Marine]

And I don't see Cragdale on it. What I do see though is...

 

Latest Thefts

Showing results 1 to 10 of 1212

 

Latest Recoveries

Showing results 1 to 10 of 62

 

Don't think it's working somehow

 

Working in the boat insurance industry, I can confirm that StolenBoats.org.uk does work, as a 5% recovery rate is far better than the situation 2 years ago before the site began. We have also seen a reduction in the numbers of boats being stolen. The short-comings of the Police National Computer has also meant that the police marine units will check this site for information rather than their own computers.

 

Thankfully the theft of narrowboats is rare and so there are only a few narrowboats listed. The owners of "Cragdale" should contact their insurers to get the boat listed, or alternatively send me the details, and I'll get it listed on the site.

 

If forum members think that it would also be useful to set up a separate category for narrowboats or inland waterways, let me know and I'll contact the site developers.

 

Jon

Edited November 8, 2006 by Noble Marine

[Supermalc]

Just to put my thoughts down, and possibly open up ideas.

 

Theft of inland waterway boats are rare, but as we know, do happen.

 

They have to travel on a limited corridor at a slowish speed.

 

Road blocks (locks) are already in place on most of them.

 

If one or two volunteers from each livaboard community were sent an email, txt to look out for a stolen boat, as soon as it is discovered to be missing, this would cover the country very quickly.

 

It would be inexpensive, and could be set up quickly. All they would need to do was inform the police if a known stolen boat has passed.

 

The problem is communication. Most people still don't seem to bother to talk to others.

 

As I've said, these are just a few ideas that someone may like to put into practice.

[Nicky]

It sounds like a great idea

 

We've definitely found the major problem is communication, I was shocked & dismayed on Saturday when we spent the day going to every marina, boatyard, pub etc etc and the only person I spoke to the entire day who had heard about the boat was Canal Shop Man who I'd already been talking to on here! This was 3 days after the boat had been stolen & both the police & BW had assured us that their systems/databases (Round Robin is one that rings a bell???) notified all these important places. Just as well we didn't take their word for it & went out & notified them all ourself eh

[NB Alnwick]

My turn to say "Why reinvent the wheel".....

 

There already is a site.....

 

Link to www.stolenboats.org.uk

 

 

It is worrying that there are six narrowboats listed as having been stolen in 2005/6 of which one was added as recently as 17th October 2006.

 

We shouldn't re-invent the wheel but we can help by drawing attention to this site . . .

[Tiller Slave]

Rather than complicated systems or new websites why not email/phone the trade and ask them to keep an eye out.

 

APCO and CBA and TYHA between them represent almost all the commercial operators on the canal network.

 

If you email the secretaries of the 3 organisations all part of the British Marine Federation at www.britishmarine.co.uk , i am sure they in turn would ewmail their membership and ask them to keep an eye out.

 

Unlike private boaters or navigation authority staff, they work year round canalside.

[Noble Marine]

We shouldn't re-invent the wheel but we can help by drawing attention to this site . . .

 

I have spoken to the administrator of StolenBoats.org.uk this morning who has now added a category for Narrowboats.

 

Anyone interested, can now sign up on the mailing list and receive an email alert whenever a stolen narrowboat is posted.

Edited November 8, 2006 by Noble Marine

[alan_fincher]

I have spoken to the administrator ofStolenBoats.org.uk this morning who has now added a category for Narrowboats.

 

Anyone interested, can now sign up on the mailing list and receive an email alert whenever a stolen narrowboat is posted.

Brilliant !

 

That would now make it sensible for a "canal person" to sign up for just those alerts, without being inundated with loads of things they can't possibly help with.

 

The only other issue seemed to be the fact that the Police had failed to add the boat "Cragdale" to the site, despite the owner being told of the site, and (it seems) a specific request from them to the Police to do so.

 

As I understand it, insurance had not been renewed on 'Cragdale', because the insurer insisted on repairs first, so there was no actual current insurer who could have got the boat added.

 

Anyway, thanks for your help (and action) here.

 

I'm convinced it's worth enhancing this existing site to better embrace canals, particularly as it has useful features like e-mail alerts built in.

 

Alan