And now the Birmingham New Line

[pearley]

Just posted on Facebook 

[doratheexplorer]

Wouldn't it cost less to CRT to put up cctv cameras or even employ a security patrol rather than keep paying to repair the locks?

[Alan de Enfield]

10 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

............….have you called the Police recently?

George Phillips of Solihull was going up to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?” and he said no. Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available.

George said “Okay,” hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again. “Hello. I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don’t have to worry about them now cause I’ve just shot them all.” Then he hung up.

Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips residence. Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed. One of the policemen said to George: “I thought you said that you’d shot them!”

George said, “I thought you said there was nobody available!”

[BWM]

10 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

That'd be because the clubs, festivals etc pay for them around the grounds and festivals on overtime outside of normal policing. You want CRT to fork out for a few officers? There is no longer a bottomless pit of available officers (there hasn't been for a while) so if some are delegated to watching a few locks it will mean that someone else wont be getting any cover. If the choice is going to be either to attend a domestic assault or walk up and down a flight of locks I have a feeling I know where most people's priorities are going to lie. And yes it will be an either/or decision, have you called the Police recently?

That is only partially true, the officers in and directly around Wembley would be funded by the organisers, but those additional police in the surrounding areas are certainly not. 

[BWM]

53 minutes ago, pearley said:

Just posted on Facebook 

Is this new damage? They said a collar had been removed on the previous attack by vandals. 

[RLWP]

14 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

George Phillips of Solihull was going up to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?” and he said no. Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available.

George said “Okay,” hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again. “Hello. I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don’t have to worry about them now cause I’ve just shot them all.” Then he hung up.

Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips residence. Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed. One of the policemen said to George: “I thought you said that you’d shot them!”

George said, “I thought you said there was nobody available!”

He's moved!: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DHWpBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA384&lpg=PA384&dq="Well,+you+don’t+have+to+worry+about+them+now+cause+I’ve+just+shot+them+all"&source=bl&ots=LltAmhAokf&sig=lCy_6NHyLPvWTOAVaRyGps_LZBQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5t_SN_PDbAhVPfMAKHYq-B1sQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q="Well%2C you don’t have to worry about them now cause I’ve just shot them all"&f=false

 

MORE

 

Twice!:

George Phillips of Meridian Mississippi: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tired-of-waiting-for-you/

Edited June 26, 2018 by RLWP

[pearley]

49 minutes ago, BWM said:

Is this new damage? They said a collar had been removed on the previous attack by vandals. 

Perhaps a few spot words on the nuts holding the collar would be a preventive measure. 

[RLWP]

2 minutes ago, pearley said:

Perhaps a few spot words on the nuts holding the collar would be a preventive measure. 

On those gates, they probably have a wedge and washers rather than nuts

[Wanderer Vagabond]

4 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

George Phillips of Solihull was going up to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?” and he said no. Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available.

George said “Okay,” hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again. “Hello. I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don’t have to worry about them now cause I’ve just shot them all.” Then he hung up.

Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips residence. Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed. One of the policemen said to George: “I thought you said that you’d shot them!”

George said, “I thought you said there was nobody available!”

 

4 hours ago, RLWP said:

He's moved!: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DHWpBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA384&lpg=PA384&dq="Well,+you+don’t+have+to+worry+about+them+now+cause+I’ve+just+shot+them+all"&source=bl&ots=LltAmhAokf&sig=lCy_6NHyLPvWTOAVaRyGps_LZBQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5t_SN_PDbAhVPfMAKHYq-B1sQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q="Well%2C you don’t have to worry about them now cause I’ve just shot them all"&f=false

 

MORE

 

Twice!:

George Phillips of Meridian Mississippi: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tired-of-waiting-for-you/

Yes that is an old joke with no actual basis in fact. The serious question was have you phoned the Police recently? The reason that I can say the above shaggy dog story has no basis in fact is even if you came on the line and said you'd dealt with the intruders with a sub-machine gun, if there are no officers to send, there are no officers to send and that is a case that is increasingly happening. This belief that there are hordes of idle officers sitting somewhere at the back of a Police station waiting for the call has been a myth for years. Back in 1987 my old Inspector was severely criticised for letting the local Councillors know just how few officers were actually on duty (I don't know why, the criminals have known for years) . In the Council meeting he asked the Councillors how many officers they thought were on duty  that evening covering the area from the Dorset Border to Exeter, all of the guesses were laughable, one Councillor thought that there were between 50 and 60, I'm not sure what planet he had beamed down from. There were in fact six of us (me in Axminster, one in Seaton, two in Honiton and two in Sidmouth) plus one Sergeant and the Inspector (in the council meeting). For letting the Councillors know the truth, the Inspector was moved.

 

In more recent times I phoned the Police whilst moored at the top of Foxton Locks when a car, travelling far too fast, crashed off the road and into a field. The conversation that I had with the Call Handler was clear that if she could avoid sending anyone she would. I only managed to convince her to send a unit when I told her that I had no idea whether the driver was drunk or whether it was his car. The second occasion was when moored opposite the Museum in Upper Mill on the Huddersfield. At about 12.30am I was making myself a hot drink and looked out of the window and could clearly see three youths on the roof so I felt that justified a 999 call. It took Greater Manchester Police over 5 minutes to answer a 999 call and I still don't know if anyone was sent.

 

I'm afraid that you now get what you pay for.

[Stilllearning]

5 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

Wouldn't it cost less to CRT to put up cctv cameras or even employ a security patrol rather than keep paying to repair the locks?

Or a few of those motion activated night vision cameras that are so beloved of wildlife programme makers.

[john6767]

6 hours ago, BWM said:

Is this new damage? They said a collar had been removed on the previous attack by vandals. 

Yes I believe this is new based on the CRT posts on Twitter.

[BWM]

Reading this is depressing, it's almost negligent to allow this to happen daily for three weeks! The cost of security are negligible when compared to the repairs needed. Daily attacks mean the perpetrators could be caught with very little input. 

[doratheexplorer]

3 hours ago, Stilllearning said:

Or a few of those motion activated night vision cameras that are so beloved of wildlife programme makers.

They sell them on Amazon cheaply

[Wanderer Vagabond]

5 hours ago, Stilllearning said:

Or a few of those motion activated night vision cameras that are so beloved of wildlife programme makers.

It would be nice to catch the idiots responsible but to put up surveillance cameras, under the 2012 Protection of Freedoms Act, you also have to put up a warning notice telling people that the area is under CCTV surveillance. This gives them a 'sporting chance' to find the cameras, disable/wreck them and continue with their vandalism. Annoying I know.

[Graham Davis]

2 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

They sell them on Amazon cheaply

And none of them would produce video of adequate quality to be used in a prosecution.

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

And none of them would produce video of adequate quality to be used in a prosecution.

 

Doesnt need to be that good. Only needs to be Good enough to indentify the culprits, then once they know they are sussed they will probably stop. 

[ditchcrawler]

11 hours ago, pearley said:

Perhaps a few spot words on the nuts holding the collar would be a preventive measure. 

Like they do on the L&L where they just took a grinder to it

[doratheexplorer]

1 hour ago, Graham Davis said:

And none of them would produce video of adequate quality to be used in a prosecution.

Are you a lawyer?

[Mike Todd]

On 15/06/2018 at 23:59, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Ah now that makes more sense.

 

But why would someone bent on causing maximum damage to the canal system break the pawls? Hardly a major inconvenience or cause of stoppages.

 

But maybe they are not that familiar with how canals work....

I'd have suspected that it is more likely that they do know how the locks work and sought to do maximum harm.

[john6767]

2 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

I'd have suspected that it is more likely that they do know how the locks work and sought to do maximum harm.

I find it hard to understand who or why is responsible, but the one thing that is not in doubt is that they are persistent in this.

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

I find it hard to understand who or why is responsible, but the one thing that is not in doubt is that they are persistent in this.

I have to think that it's the lot who live by the road bridge and find that passing boats disturbing their drug dealing and alcoholic stupor. I would be quite intimidated if I was moving through that lock(2) by Great Bridge Bridge on my own without a crew on boat.

Edited June 27, 2018 by matty40s

[springy]

We went up the flight sunday afternoon & came back down yesterday with no problems at all, on sunday there was a fair sized group of people drinking around the bridge & lockside but were no problem & were all well clear of the "operating area" of the lock, 8:15 am yesterday was probably a bit early for them.

 

Praise to C&RT for keeping the flight operational. 

 

springy

[jammin1620]

I was with springy up the flight Sunday and concurr the lads were no bother at all. Even the crt guys on rushall that morning said there would be a group of lads but not to be concerned as  they're a lovely bunch. And commented that the oiks doing the damage gave them a bad name.

It's too easy to judge a book by its cover and tarnish everyone with the same brush. 

The trip back down was smooth with no damage yesterday morning and levels all ok. 

Note to others using the flight there was a piece of metal railing the galvanised type sticking out of the bridge before asda. Vicious piece and attached to something below water (probably another piece). We tried to remove it but failed. 

[RLWP]

3 hours ago, springy said:

We went up the flight sunday afternoon & came back down yesterday with no problems at all, on sunday there was a fair sized group of people drinking around the bridge

springy

The amusingly named Great Bridge Bridge

[Tom and Bex]

18 hours ago, matty40s said:

I have to think that it's the lot who live by the road bridge and find that passing boats disturbing their drug dealing and alcoholic stupor. I would be quite intimidated if I was moving through that lock(2) by Great Bridge Bridge on my own without a crew on boat.

They've been there for years. Always friendly, chatty, and happy to help with the lock. Helped us out when we got stuck mid channel one year - when they failed to pull me back into the lock they offered to let some water down if I threw them my windlass and anti vandal key, an offer that was gladly accepted! Also helped my wife drag some heavy rubbish out when she couldn't open the top gate on another occasion. 

 

I think these problems are giving this group an undeserved bad name, and hope that boaters don't jump to conclusions about them.