Brian Cooper Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 No doubt other clubs have had their ground maintenance equipment stolen. Last night it was our turn (Wellingborough). . It looks like a well-planned and targeted theft. We keep our equipment in a container with a high-security, armoured lock. . This lock has prevented theft in the past, but they were determined and very well prepared this time, and came with some heavy duty tools. They cut a hole in the side of the container and broke the armoured door locks from the inside. Whoever broke in was very small, probably a youngster. The hole was about the size of an overgrown cat-flap. We have lost a brand new ride-on mower, plus a trailer and a wheelbarrow. There are not enough suitable words to describe my disgust of these despicable low-lifes. . And the words I want to use are not suitable for viewing on this fine forum. 😝 1 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 (edited) Really sorry to hear about that Brian, it does make you wonder if there is any protection that can prevent these scumbags (obviously not harming them in the process!). Did you have security cameras in place? Edited September 11 by Ron Gray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Your equipment is I believe covered by the BMFA insurance as like for like if your club is affiliated . Hope it all gets sorted. Unfortunately low life abounds and police just aren't interested as they are cut to the bone and directed to focus on wokery . Suggest if you replace it then get some spray cans and make the replacement look like its not worth stealing and engrave or drill every panel deeply with with your post code . It might just put them off as apart from the stealing they are generally lazy so and so's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 54 minutes ago, Ron Gray said: Really sorry to hear about that Brian, it does make you wonder if there is any protection that can prevent these scumbags (obviously not harming them in the process!). Did you have security cameras in place? They'd probably nick the cameras as well! If no-one ever bought suspiciously cheap mowers etc then there wouldn't be a market for the stolen goods. Shop-lifting seems to be greatly increased, too. When we had a shop 50+ years ago, there was some shop-lifting (we sold things from TVs, cameras, air rifles and shot guns, and jewellery!) but it was rare. If there were a few in the shop and they asked for something they knew would need us to leave the counter to get we had a push button to ring the bell so someone else could watch the customers. It usually worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Synthetic DNA marking such as SelectaDNA or Smartwater may act as a deterrent. Applied correctly it is almost impossible to remove all traces. Your local crime prevention team may be able to offer a good deal on one of these kits. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learner Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Cameras don't work. Had a mini digger nicked off site on a Sunday in broad daylight. site was on a main road near town centre, filmed them doing it and loading it into a lorry, matey just put his finger up to the camera and carried on, digger had tracker fitted as well, never to be seen again. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Sorry to hear it Brian, things can be relaced and insurance is there, what cannot be replaced is the confidence to keep things onsite. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottenRow Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Our club’s 3 year old mower and (older) trailer were stolen about 3 years ago from a ‘secure’ storage unit… two security gates and the door were broken to get to them. The BMFA insurance sorted things out quickly and efficiently but it was a shame that we had to make that claim in the first place. A couple of points worth mentioning… Both the supplier of the mower (and its replacement) and the insurance person told us at the time that the thieves expect replacements to be bought and would likely return there. Therefore a different storage location should be found. Ours was stolen late autumn, so a replacement wasn’t needed for a few months. This gave us time to find a suitable alternative storage place. The mower supplier (an agricultural machinery supplier) also told us that many stolen machines end up in eastern Europe, very quickly. The chance of tracking one down is very small. Brian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 I know it’s a pain but what about removing a couple of wheels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 22 minutes ago, Ron Gray said: I know it’s a pain but what about removing a couple of wheels? A waste of time, my father's caravan ( British) was stolen off of a French municipal camping site on a Sunday, when the main gates were closed, and we had taken its wheels off !. Maybe a Tracker would be the best bet, £60 one on my brother's Aprilia after the last one was stolen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis 2 Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 We have a club mower which is kept at the chairman's home but in order to save time several of us usually turn up on mowing days with our own mowers as well. One of our members owns a John Deere mower. It was stolen from his house and when he reported it to the police, they explained that two more John Deere mowers had recently been stolen too. I also own a John Deere. I used it yesterday and put it into the garage. I'd better check that it's still there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Very sorry to hear of this . Very worrying the determined manner they broke in with. Suggests they might even be back again sadly after robbing other lock ups . Just hope the police get them. Many sports clubs (not just modelling) use outside containers so it’s a big problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lipo Man Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Our clubs mower is old and knackered. Down side is it doesn’t work as well as a new one, and needs TLC occasionally to keep it going. I now realise that the upside is it really doesn’t look worth stealing! Sorry to hear of these unpleasant events - feeling very lucky that I’ve not been similarly affected. Good luck to all the club mower custodians out there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Sharp Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 My club has arranged a running contract/agreement with a vendor to cut the grass. Seems very efficient and in the peak of the season is once a fortnight. Obviously it comes at a cost and is spread over the membership fees. We also hire a roller occasionally to smooth the runway too. Avoids the issue with equipment theft tho. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 What about a 200+Db 12v siren inside the container, that is going to be extremely uncomfortable for anyone inside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 16 minutes ago, Ron Gray said: What about a 200+Db 12v siren inside the container, that is going to be extremely uncomfortable for anyone inside? Once in they will just muller that first, then carry on. CCTV with remote picture capture, might get a look at them and whatever vehicle they use. Perhaps if possible a few layers of protection e.g. Locked gate, barriers (like locking bollards), locked container, spray paint items to reduce their value, tracking and CCTV etc Many years ago my next door neighbour bought a brand new very high performance and expensive motor cycle. You know the type with a nice flash colour scheme and boy did it look the business. Come the first weekend he was outside with a few rattle cans and sprayed it totally matt black. Why, well he worked in London and to him he liked the performance, but effectively reduced its resale value to not much + it didn't look flash so wasn't interesting to get stolen. It worked as it didn't get stolen, lesson learnt out of bitter experience I suppose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Jenkins Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 6 minutes ago, Chris Walby said: Once in they will just muller that first, then carry on. CCTV with remote picture capture, might get a look at them and whatever vehicle they use. Perhaps if possible a few layers of protection e.g. Locked gate, barriers (like locking bollards), locked container, spray paint items to reduce their value, tracking and CCTV etc Many years ago my next door neighbour bought a brand new very high performance and expensive motor cycle. You know the type with a nice flash colour scheme and boy did it look the business. Come the first weekend he was outside with a few rattle cans and sprayed it totally matt black. Why, well he worked in London and to him he liked the performance, but effectively reduced its resale value to not much + it didn't look flash so wasn't interesting to get stolen. It worked as it didn't get stolen, lesson learnt out of bitter experience I suppose. Perhaps Range Rover owners might take note Chris and spray their cars matt black? 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 You can specify that finish for them when you buy one, highly sought after (seemingly). @Chris Walbythey would have to get to the siren first, put it in the most inaccessible place (tables and chairs / general hut detritus in front of it) so that it would take them a few minutes to get to it. My guess is that with a 200+ DB siren going off in the confines of a container a few seconds is all you could manage. Of course they could bring along a deaf person to assist. Can you buy stun grenades on Amazon? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Jenkins Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 If you specify that finish it will look professional and ...... desirable. Needs to look a bodged job that you'd be embarrassed to be seen driving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Well the one down the road (Land Rover) just looks really odd with no reflection and the impression that its been through a sandstorm before leaving the forecourt, but each to their own. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payneib Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 2 hours ago, Ron Gray said: Can you buy stun grenades on Amazon? No, but you can buy these shed mines. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 3 hours ago, Chris Walby said: Once in they will just muller that first, then carry on. CCTV with remote picture capture, might get a look at them and whatever vehicle they use. Perhaps if possible a few layers of protection e.g. Locked gate, barriers (like locking bollards), locked container, spray paint items to reduce their value, tracking and CCTV etc Many years ago my next door neighbour bought a brand new very high performance and expensive motor cycle. You know the type with a nice flash colour scheme and boy did it look the business. Come the first weekend he was outside with a few rattle cans and sprayed it totally matt black. Why, well he worked in London and to him he liked the performance, but effectively reduced its resale value to not much + it didn't look flash so wasn't interesting to get stolen. It worked as it didn't get stolen, lesson learnt out of bitter experience I suppose. I had a 'shopping' pedal bike which looked rough but was actually reasonably decent, though not top quality. The main purpose was for it not to be attractive to potential thieves. It was a Raleigh Lenton Sports frame which my mate sprayed blue but it had Cinelli handlebars and stem, good brakes and Shimano SPD pedals. I built some decent wheels for it with a Sturmey Archer 5 speed hub gear. I was happy to do 50+ mile rides on it 🙂 When I lived in Coventry in the 1960s I used to park my motor bikes in a church car park opposite my bed-sitter unlocked for years. They were all magneto ignition so they didn't even need a key to start. Never had a problem. I certainly wouldn't do it now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilC57 Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 12 hours ago, payneib said: No, but you can buy these shed mines. What is a Bisley alarm mine? I’ve never seen or heard of it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payneib Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 17 minutes ago, EvilC57 said: What is a Bisley alarm mine? I’ve never seen or heard of it before. They're loaded with a BLANK shotgun cartridge, and mounted to outbuildings, with a pull pin attached to doors, tripwires, moveable objects, however you wish. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinFlynn Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 These days I doubt having a 1080p Hollywood quality video of the scumbags complete with their home addresses and a full set of fingerprints would help you getting your mower back, plod isn't interested. The only solution IMHO is not to keep the kit on site-especially now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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