Scrotum thieves get bigger ideas on Menai Straits

[HUMBER P4VWL]

After nicking our dinghy to rob all our tools and many other things on other boats, they returned a few weeks later to do the same. That time they even took a generator that was screwed down to the deck of a big fishing boat near beaumaris pier.

Well now our friend awoke this morning to take his rib out for the winter as the tide was nice and high.........but there was no boat.

They had towed it to gallows point/ABC bay, then stripped the 200hp Honda 4 stroke off the back of the 8m rib and stripped everything else off, electrics the lot.

What are you meant to do? There appears to be no way of policing the area or stopping them doing it. There have been no particular thefts since i can remember for over 25 years. Whilst that isnt completely correct, im sure some boats had the odd thing stolen, it seems more prevalent since the start of this year.

If i get the details of the engine etc i will post it. But please be aware, anyone buying a 200 4 stroke Honda, ask where it is from etc

[JSP]

It's sickening that such a nice place has this going on.
I know boats moored by the castle on the river seiont had trouble with vandals when my brother had his Southerly moored there for a few years but I don't recall any actual thefts.


And on the same note, I just did a google to check I'd spelt Seiont right and found some bunt has nicked one of my photographs of the river. Taken from one of the castles towers
He's even put a copyright mark with his name on it.

[PeterM]

I'd guess at this level its all organised stuff - with Solent Ribmans boat being stolen & totally stripped , then a newish 250 hp off the back of a 7-8m Ribcraft down my way & now this.

I'd expect it to be in the back of a transit & off the the med somewhere by now - totally untraceable & slim chance of anyone at a port checking whats in a van under a blanket .

Just these 3 alone is maybe 20-30k worth at least - all for a few weeks ' work' by those responsible . Makes me sick & then people buy them surely knowing they are stolen !

[Maximus]

Sorry to hear that HP,just Bottom feeding scum!Makes you sick.
Had a couple of Oiks pinching Cd players some while back,caught them Red handed!and dished out a bit of my own justice! Squealed like pigs to the Old Bill and ..nearly ended up in court myself!! Beggars belief!!Makes you wonder what you CAN do!

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Sorry to hear that HP,just Bottom feeding scum!Makes you sick.
Had a couple of Oiks pinching Cd players some while back,caught them Red handed!and dished out a bit of my own justice! Squealed like pigs to the Old Bill and ..nearly ended up in court myself!! Beggars belief!!Makes you wonder what you CAN do!

That's just it isn't it! What can you do? Kick 7 colours of james blunt out of them and you'll go down for longer than them!

[Cookee]

We've had some problems down here recently, first time in a while.

[neil.mccrirrick]

Guess a good part of this is the credit crunch, less work around and so thieving starts to thrive. If we could just catch one, then drag em behind the rib for a while, I'd feel so much better, (you could always argue they slipped over the side and got caught in the lines without being noticed, what with them being lowlife scum)

[chewy]

Originally Posted by neil.mccrirrick

Guess a good part of this is the credit crunch, less work around and so thieving starts to thrive. If we could just catch one, then drag em behind the rib for a while, I'd feel so much better, (you could always argue they slipped over the side and got caught in the lines without being noticed, what with them being lowlife scum)

Just use them as pot bait.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Are there any companies that will supply a chip which can be put in the engine, then when stolen you ask them to locate it? Can't be expensive these days. You could just go and find the scroats then.

[Poly]

There are some threads on here for "trackers". Its feasible to track an engine for about £80-100 using one of these mobile phone/gps trackers. Of course you need it to be well enough hidden in the cowl that they don't just ditch it.

[m chappelow]

think a big T or better still RT,,,rib thief ,, branded on the theives forehead might be a better option ,,,think we used to brand thieves with a T on thumbs until about 1850.,,, with todays p correctness think having trackers constitutes entrapment or it wont be long before it is ,,lol,,,,serious side ,be intresting to find out where they are being taken though ,i have seen tv programs where plant equipment has been recovered when fitted with trackers and in some really strange places ,

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

think a big T or better still RT,,,rib thief ,, branded on the theives forehead might be a better option ,,,think we used to brand thieves with a T on thumbs until about 1850.,,, with todays p correctness think having trackers constitutes entrapment or it wont be long before it is ,,lol,,,,serious side ,be intresting to find out where they are being taken though ,i have seen tv programs where plant equipment has been recovered when fitted with trackers and in some really strange places ,

I've watched CCTV footage of a caravan being stolen before and it just makes me angry. These guys are completely brazen. They have the van (pikey bast*ards), angle-grinders, bolt cutters, the works. If they're nicking large engines, then they're suitably tooled up for the job and have recce'd the area where they can spend 20 minutes or less removing your pride and joy.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's about time all outboards engines and boats were registered with a central agency, so that enyone purchasing a bit of kit would have the reassurance that it's legitimate. Surely this could be funded through our insurance premiums? A tracking device is also a worthwhile investment.

[Erin]

Seeing as all modern cars have immobilisers, surely there's something along those lines that could be fitted to the engine ECU to deter theft. Obviously this would have to be a manufacturer fitted item rather than retrofit, but it would be a good start.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Erin

Seeing as all modern cars have immobilisers, surely there's something along those lines that could be fitted to the engine ECU to deter theft. Obviously this would have to be a manufacturer fitted item rather than retrofit, but it would be a good start.

Or even something that'd kill an ECU if it was plugged in to a laptop for servicing if it was on the stolen list?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Erin

Seeing as all modern cars have immobilisers, surely there's something along those lines that could be fitted to the engine ECU to deter theft. Obviously this would have to be a manufacturer fitted item rather than retrofit, but it would be a good start.

Its not unheard of for imobiliser circuits to play up (especially when first introduced) - do you want to be the guinea pig who can't get his engine to start on a lee shore in F6? Especially given that electricary and boats don't often mix well.

I think from a "usefullness" point of view then there is limited benefit - it would stop you driving the boat away but not towing it (either afloat or on a trailer) nor from removing the engine. Presumably imobilisers aren't so good that they can't be worked around if you know how.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by spartacus

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's about time all outboards engines and boats were registered with a central agency, so that enyone purchasing a bit of kit would have the reassurance that it's legitimate. Surely this could be funded through our insurance premiums?

I spent a year of my life and many thousands of pounds trying to persuade the marine insurance industry that such was true.

The Police bought into it, all across the country.

We had huge support from maritime organisations, clubs and user groups.

The MCA were keen, their database providers even did a load of groundwork for us.

Everybody in fact apart from the marine insurers. I cannot tell you what their biggest worry is, but thefts from sub 40' boats is not it.

I agree with you, in the absence of the insurers being active then your best bet is a tracker/alarm.

[spartacus]

Yamaha's latest generation F30 and F40 outboards now have an immobiliser fitted as standard. They call it Y-COP (Yamaha Customer Outboard Protection) which is a horrendous name. Probably the result of a marketeer being given carte-blanche on a project.http://www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/produc...nt&marine=true

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Or even something that'd kill an ECU if it was plugged in to a laptop for servicing if it was on the stolen list?

Fine, except that the thieves wouldn't care about servicing it.

Originally Posted by Polwart

Its not unheard of for imobiliser circuits to play up (especially when first introduced) - do you want to be the guinea pig who can't get his engine to start on a lee shore in F6? Especially given that electricary and boats don't often mix well.

You may well be right, but I don't know of any car since the late 80's thats failed to start due to an immobiliser problem (aren't we lucky Renault don't make outboards :-)). And anyway, what are you doing on a lee shore in a F6 without having had your engine working in the first place to get there? Modern ecu's are pretty reliable, there's far more likely things to fail in an outboard

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Erin

You may well be right, but I don't know of any car since the late 80's thats failed to start due to an immobiliser problem (aren't we lucky Renault don't make outboards :-)). And anyway, what are you doing on a lee shore in a F6 without having had your engine working in the first place to get there? Modern ecu's are pretty reliable, there's far more likely things to fail in an outboard

Apparently Yamaha agree with you.

I've experienced imobiliser (or thats what the garage said it was!) problems on 2 different cars. One was a late 90s Diesel Renault Megan (intermittent problem would mean it didn't start but if you got out, locked it up and unlocked it you could start it) and the other was a 04 ? Citroen (Picasso I think - it was a hire car) - worked fine for two days then stalled in a car park and wouldn't go again ... maybe best there's no French O/B makers...

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by Erin

Fine, except that the thieves wouldn't care about servicing it.

Quite right, it would be the bloke that bought his outboard from the dodgy geezer at the car boot sale who only finds out when the police are waiting for him to pick his boat up from having it serviced.