30K of stolen engines

[Jim Robinson]

Just thought I would let you all know we had 30K of engines stolen from our yard we think Sunday night, pair of F250 yam's from the big yellow white Scorpion with the open cabin and a 175 Suzuki from a ribcraft, no idea how they got them off as it wasn't possible to get any kind of lifting gear to the boats. We have three house boats opposite no one saw or heard a thing.They cut down the fence and cut away steering harnesses etc must have taken some hours, the lock bolt on the Susuki worked so they left the left hand engine bracket bolted to the boat and undid the pivot tube. All insured but I guess the owners will only get second hand value and as we all know finding good used is now impossible. We have the ser nos if any of you hear of anything suspicious. just be extra careful with your pride and joy.
May have to start to remove gearboxes in the winter months to make the engines unsellable.

[matt h]

bloody ell jim, im sorry to hear that, would be interesting to know what outboard lock the thieving scum could not get undone.

[Bigmuz7]

Just proves that lock or not .. if they want it .. theyll take it anyway .. all the same the harder you make it for the fookers the more likely thay are to get caught/noticed !

[Hightower]

Sorry to hear about the thefts, hope they catch the scum that did this.

On a note about outboard locks, I heard a story about a twin engine installation where they cut the transom out using chainsaws to steal the outboards because they couldn't undo the locks.

[willfinch36]

sorry to hear this, but yeah if theives want something... they will take it! regardless of security!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

no idea how they got them off as it wasn't possible to get any kind of lifting gear to the boats. We have three house boats opposite no one saw or heard a thing.They cut down the fence and cut away steering harnesses etc must have taken some hours, the lock bolt on the Susuki worked so they left the left hand engine bracket bolted to the boat and undid the pivot tube. .

Sounds like they knew exactly what they were doing and had it all well planned. Given that you are not exactly in the best place for a fast get away (either they left by their own boat or had to go on the ferry) do the police show much interest in trying to investigate, or is it all just here's the crime number for the claims, and here's the contact numbers for victim support and our crime prevention unit...

[Jizm]

Sorry to hear of the thefts, will keep an eye out.....

I found a shetland on my local slipway once with the transom cut out with a chainsaw, it would seem if they want it......

[jwalker]

Yeh well, if chainsawing is a real concern, have a length of chunky angle stainless inside the transom with the engine mount bolts passing through it. Bolt it at each end too and you'll have a nice transom strengthener. A chainsaw will deal with aluminium but you'd need to be brave to tackle heavy steel. By the time the chain has clattered on the steel for a while it'll cut feck all... don't ask how I know.

[SJHooper]

Oh Yes I do like that idea of the stainless angle section on the transom

Well thought of

Steve

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

Just thought I would let you all know we had 30K of engines stolen from our yard we think Sunday night, pair of F250 yam's from the big yellow white Scorpion with the open cabin and a 175 Suzuki from a ribcraft

Sorry to hear that. Absolute scum of the earth. The F250s are nearly 280kg each. Must have taken at least 3-4 guys to lift them off the transom and onto a trolley. Removing the gearboxes may offer a deterent. Hope you hear something positive.

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by jwalker

...By the time the chain has clattered on the steel for a while it'll cut feck all... don't ask how I know.

Have you got any second hand outboards for sale without any serial numbers?

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Have you got any second hand outboards for sale without any serial numbers?

Thats what I was thinking .. prefer husqvarna do we JW ? .... hehe

[jwalker]

Hehe. A couple of accidental large nail hits is all it takes to find out.
Just for info for those who may not know.. saw chain teeth are quite soft material and sharpened with a file so a chunk of stainless will have the edges knocked off in no time.

[neilda]

Yikes..... that's bad news to hear. Any CCTV to aid detection?

[Trolli]

[Jim Robinson]

Originally Posted by neilda

Yikes..... that's bad news to hear. Any CCTV to aid detection?

Thanks all for the support, unfortunately found a fourth yam F30 with the bracket let go and cables cut but again the lock bolt had stopped them, I would recommend double lock bolts one on each bracket, we have been fitting the McGuard locks from Barrus and they have worked in this case. Cant say too much at this stage, but we have some leads, the police have taken this seriously and have a team working on it, they have seen several identical thefts over the past few weeks in the south. looking at the tyre marks on fresh mud they had a large single axle van - sprinter or similar and a small single axle van? they removed the gearboxes first leaving nuts and bolts and fins. No trolley marks just trainer prints. no idea how they lifted them off, transom is shoulder height and the modern motors are all rounded shapes not much to get hold of. If any of you were driving early Monday and saw a well loaded van on the road on the island near the ferry let us know. Keep you posted.

[chewy]

Could be a flat bed with a HIAB.

[Jim Robinson]

Originally Posted by chewy

Could be a flat bed with a HIAB.

The engines were at the back of the yard 15m from nearest point a van could get to, had to be by hand.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

The engines were at the back of the yard 15m from nearest point a van could get to, had to be by hand.

Thats some big pikeys!

[Jim Robinson]

Originally Posted by chewy

Thats some big pikeys!

with bad backs!