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* FOUND * Stolen Boat - from Mercia Marina


Yank on the Cut

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I'd also suggest the absence of a sign-written name on the side made this boat a particularly attractive target, if it was planned out in advance as I've imagined. (end quote')

 

I suspect you are bang on there Mike. The chap at Fradley was probably just sat on the bench waiting for such a boat to arrive. Then casually walk over and start a nice conversation while he gathers intel.

 

Edited by AllanC
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Checked all boats in Birmingham centre from St. Vincents bridge to Cambrian Wharf, through Gas Street to Granville Street bridge. Sherborne Wharf have a flyer and are keeping a lookout. Will check all passing boats, as I'm here for a while.

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An truly ingenious thief will have the boat miles away, surely?

 

A truly ingenious thief would surely not have stolen a very distinctive boat, unless it was his intention to quickly strip it of any fittings and equipment which could readily be sold on, and then abandon it.

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Are most thieves as calculating as that?

 

Richard

 

Well if we are talking specifically about narrow boat thieves, I would say there are few enough of them to reach any real conclusion about how calculating they may be.

 

I'm talking about cases where a narrow boat is genuinely stolen, as many of us know that perhaps the majority of those initially reported as a straight theft turn out to be something that wasn't actually a straight theft, after all.

 

For the avoidance of any doubt, I'm not in any way suggesting that is the case here, but I can think of relatively few past examples of boats that have genuinely been stolen with no other back story emerging as the plot developed.

 

I would say that most of the genuine thefts have been found quite quickly, or that is how it seems to me. This one has huge attention in many places, and I would not say it is typical for there to be no real sightings. Of course the real reason for this may simply be the long delay in realising it was gone. It could well have already been somewhere it is unlikely to be sighted long before the owners knew it was missing, unfortunately.

 

A truly ingenious thief would surely not have stolen a very distinctive boat, unless it was his intention to quickly strip it of any fittings and equipment which could readily be sold on, and then abandon it.

 

Yes, like many people, this does seem to have been a very strange choice.

 

We know from previous searches there have been some fairly anonymous and not easily recognised boats taken. This would seem to definitely not be one of them.

 

None the less, none of us has been able to locate this distinctive boat, of course.

 

Edited by alan_fincher
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Newer readers such as Johnnie, Chris and Graham will not get the point of Martin's photos. A narrowboat called Que Sera Sera was stolen about two years ago, and some forum members devoted a good deal of time and energy into tracking it down.

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Thank you for sharing this, no this is not our boat but I can see the similarities between this and ours. We have a port hole each side just off the middle. Good work though, thanks again

Yes John1UK is right. Port hole on both sides one frosted glass one plain. Thank you.

 

Apologies for the diversion that wasn't what I was indicating, it was a reference to other stolen boats in an earlier post.

 

In particular there was a long running forum saga in 2009 about a boat called Que Sera Sera.

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=20824&hl=que+sera+sera

 

When I was out walking the other week I spotted the boat pictured and it immediately caught my eye, testimony to the power of the forum that after all these years I still was sensitive to the name. Though that boat was never ever found and has probably been renamed anyway now.

Edited by MJG
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Newer readers such as Johnnie, Chris and Graham will not get the point of Martin's photos. A narrowboat called Que Sera Sera was stolen about two years ago, and some forum members devoted a good deal of time and energy into tracking it down.

 

Two?, try seven!

 

(How time flies)

 

Anyway now removed as it's causing unnecessary confusion.

Edited by MJG
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I think the thief had this theft all planned out and had what he was going to do with it all planned out. Seemed to know roughly where it was, how to get in and which Marina/boat he was looking for.

We know the thief sailed it away as witnessed and later found Licence/reg plate etc dumped, unless he got an accomplice to dump them for him, and headed the opposite way?

 

I would of thought he would of wanted it out of sight within days, just in case the owner returned. I think he knew which boat was less likely to be reported stolen due to owners being away/ leisure boat, so knew he would have some time before being found out.

My theory is it's hidded in a garden or yard with direct access to the canal. Could you pull a narrowboat out using a tractor(s) and make 2 metal ramps out of RSJ's to drag the boat out the water? Then cover it, make changes, and in a years time register it and sell it?

 

Who knows? Hopefully it will be found and what the story is.

 

James.

Edited by canals are us?
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Two?, try seven!

 

(How time flies)

 

Anyway now removed as it's causing unnecessary confusion.

Yes indeedy, probably its occasional mention in subsequent threads has kept it fresh in my memory.

Edited by Athy
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Given the time since it's gone it would be possible to remove the identifying steel work and also cut new / additional Windows or change the port holes to opening windows. If done carefully it might not need much paint repair.

 

All depends how organised the thief is.

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Even if they removed the steelwork that has the HIN number on it, and replaced it....and that would be quite a skilled task.....There should still be a hidden HIN number elsewhere on the shell, if it has been built to standard. In theory only the builder and the owner should know it's whereabouts, so would be an identifying mark if there is ever doubt about a boats real identity. Chris and Graham, please DON'T reveal where this hidden mark is, just incase....but if you don't know yourselves, do check where it is with the builder. (Assuming they built it to standards on this point) if the boat has been changed beyond easy identification, you may need this.

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Has yank on the cut got the footage yet of the bloke ? At least the police would have an idea who it is and if it's the same bloke from the Chilton theft

Going through CCTV, I can see a boat that I am 90% sure is the one in question, being manouevred as the thieving skipper attempts to find the way out. He went the wrong way initially so he does not know the marina layout which is compatible with his having to ask the location of the pontoon. However, he is skilled at handling a boat.

 

The timing is in keeping with the CRT logging of the licence number at 1130 at Bridge 32 on the T & M (Horninglow) on the same day.

 

Working back from the time the boat was being cruised out, 9:40am on 11/7/16, I have checked the other cctv and there is no suspicious activity.

 

I will try to get a better picture of the skipper but I am not sure what the cctv is capable of as the boat was about 200m away from the camera.

Edited by Yank on the Cut
  • Greenie 2
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Going through CCTV, I can see a boat that I am 90% sure is the one in question, being manouevred as the thieving skipper attempts to find the way out. He went the wrong way initially so he does not know the marina layout which is compatible with his having to ask the location of the pontoon. However, he is skilled at handling a boat.

 

The timing is in keeping with the CRT logging of the licence number at 1130 at Bridge 32 on the T & M (Horninglow) on the same day.

 

Working back from the time the boat was being cruised out, 9:40am on 11/7/16, I have checked the other cctv and there is no suspicious activity.

 

I will try to get a better picture of the skipper but I am not sure what the cctv is capable of as the boat was about 200m away from the camera.

Excellent. This evening, I'll have a go at compiling relevant observations from this thread, with any dates that we have.

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