A visit in the night

[steve hayes]

Well I got the sort of phone call that we all dread....

 

Hello this is CaRT here, are you the owner of Bluemoon ?

 

Yes

 

Well I am sorry we have just had a call to say that Bluemoon appears to have been broken into last night.

 

OH NO

 

I'm sorry I have no other info.

 

OK I better get down there, GULP

[junior]

My worst nightmare, and now I'm spending more time leaving the boat on the towpath it is a nightmare I regularly have. There is nothing of value in the boat apart from the cheap TV, I even empty the fridge. I'm more worried about the damage someone could do breaking in.

 

My fingers are crossed for you that there isn't too much damage of loss.

[Bettie Boo]

Fingers crossed for you they didn't do to much damage or get anything of sentimental value

 

Good Luck

[nicknorman]

How horrible. It's the sort of call I dread even more since we live 450 miles from the boat, although being in a marina is some help hopefully.

[luctor et emergo]

Now, before anyone gets over excited, remember that the (alleged) perpetrator(s) is (are) not really to be held to account. They are victims themselfs, who have been failed by our society. You should really thank them, for showing you the security weakspots of your boat.

[loubyscooby]

Oh no... heartfelt hugs sent. Every boaters nightmare. I hope theres not too much damage or stuff stolen.

 

[Proper Job]

 

The news we all dread

 

Hope things aren't to bad when you get there.

[David Schweizer]

Now, before anyone gets over excited, remember that the (alleged) perpetrator(s) is (are) not really to be held to account. They are victims themselfs, who have been failed by our society. You should really thank them, for showing you the security weakspots of your boat.

 

Not really a very helpful contribution Henk. Having had our boat broken into once, I have the greatest empathy for Steve, I well remember the phone call in the early morning, and having to drop everything to visit and secure the boat. I hope the damage is minimal and can be rectified easily.

[LEO]

Best of luck, hope things 'pan out Ok'

 

L

[cotswoldsman]

Hope all is ok. If anything like when my boat was broken into it was just a few clothes the police never did find a short fat bloke wearing scruffy clothes.

[junior]

I'm sure you've other things on your mind right now rather than checking back on here but if you do, do you mind telling us where the boat was moored (roughly if you'd prefer)?

[Joelsanders]

How awful! I'm sorry to read about this.

 

I'm quite paranoid about leaving my boat unattended on the towpath -even for one night . Experiences like yours certainly keep my paranoia alive & kicking.

 

Hope it doesn't affect you too much and that your insurance will do what they can to alleviate some of the inconvenience.

 

Gd luck

[Janet S]

If it's going to take a while for you to get there, perhaps give a general location and then forum members can PM you if they are close by. There are a lot of very reliable and trustworthy forum members on here.

 

Better that someone goes out and secures it asap if C&RT haven't done it.

 

Janet

[Barry]

Hope all is ok. If anything like when my boat was broken into it was just a few clothes the police never did find a short fat bloke wearing scruffy clothes.

 

Hey! It wasn't me I tell you!

[Diesel007]

So sorry to here your news Steve, I was broken into in the early 80's and know how angry I felt.

 

Assume you might be somewhere on the Worcs-B'ham which I thought was relatively better than some other places and I know the area quite well

 

Might be helpful if you could give at least a rough location as I think that if the scum bags felt they got some easy pickings they might be around again looking for another boat.

 

Might be interesting to hear what prevention methods others think are effective although problem is like anything else, this type of low life will probably break in to any boat if they want.

[luctor et emergo]

 

Not really a very helpful contribution Henk. Having had our boat broken into once, I have the greatest empathy for Steve, I well remember the phone call in the early morning, and having to drop everything to visit and secure the boat. I hope the damage is minimal and can be rectified easily.

True David, but as the messages of support are always plentiful, I don't feel mine would at. I just thought I get the inevitable 'string 'm up/ give 'm a hug' debate started.

[carlt]

I just thought I get the inevitable 'string 'm up/ give 'm a hug' debate started.

Except it is actually a "string 'em up/set the punishment to suit the crime" debate really, isn't it.

 

Nobody ever responds to the posts wishing violence on the perpetrators with calls to reward them.

 

I hope whoever has broken into any boat is caught and brought to justice...Justice being a reasonable punishment for a petty crime.

 

I suspect nobody hopes for any less.

[luctor et emergo]

The problem though, is that one person's reasonable punishment is another's soft touch/excessive punishment. And whilst the actual damage can be quantified, the psycological effects differ for everybody. You or I might shrug it of ( to some extent), but another might not dare spend another night on their boat.

[carlt]

The problem though, is that one person's reasonable punishment is another's soft touch/excessive punishment.

That's true therefore it is necessary for the justice system to find a "happy" medium as the psychological damage is not really measurable.

 

For example when I had my "night time visit" resulting in the destruction of our boat and home I shrugged it off as "just stuff" whereas the OH had 3 months off with stress and has only recently gone near a canal, 6 years on.

 

We are both in agreement that it was a relief that nobody was hurt and a shame that the scroats who set the fire will never be brought to justice.

 

I would add that I know who torched my boat and, despite several offers of assistance, have no intention of exacting my own justice/vengeance.

[Ronniesonic]

Best wishes Steve, I hope the boat is ok & minimal damage.

[Delta9]

[carlt]

<snip>

Sorry but I don't quite understand why a discussion about boats being broken into is off-topic in a thread about...err...a boat being broken into.

[tony collins]

Maybe because it is a different boat?

[Delta9]

Sorry but I don't quite understand why a discussion about boats being broken into is off-topic in a thread about...err...a boat being broken into.

I was referring to " I just thought I get the inevitable 'string 'm up/ give 'm a hug' debate started." but forgot to quote it...

Edited March 21, 2014 by Delta9

[Janet S]

Perfectly on topic as far as I can see.

 

Janet