UKC

Just as a warning to users of A55 sport crags, there are thieves around, last night whilst climbing at castle inn, I had my new A55 second edition guide book nicked, when we were out of sight for a few minuets, by some people who were climbing right next to us, who then made a sudden departure.
The group of three male thieves were in their early twenties and driving a black Vauxhall corsa, they seem very inexperienced, (clearly not aquated with the usual climbers unwritten code of conduct), they were climbing with mostly (no doubt stolen) steel screw gates with no extenders, as they now have the A55 guide we can deduct where to expect their presence, keep a special eye on your kit here

UKC Edit - Title changed to make it clearer

In reply to autolycus:

PLEASE NO ONE BUY A SECOND HAND COPY OF THIS GUIDE.

In fact if we all stopped buying second hand without it having a copy of the receipt then there would not be a market for the theft.
The only market IS the climbing market.

All you genuines keep your receipts somewhere at home besides which it helps for proof of any claims you may have to make.

In reply to autolycus: Clearly there is no possibility that they picked up your guide by mistake, one guidebook strangely looking very similar to another.

In reply to timmsy: I've been thinking about keeping reciepts for my toilet rolls for a while. I think someone is using more than three sheets at a time so I may start a spreadsheet detailing visits to the toilet and seeing if the usage matches the average displayed on the packet.

Once I've PROVED the rate of usage is too high it's just a simple matter of installing CCTV to catch the culprit!!!



(Come on, do you really want to live that way? I don't)

In reply to timmsy:

Completely impractical. Two of my guide books were bought as presents. Many people hold on to guide books for years so unlikely they'd keep a receipt that long.

More sensible to me would be to write your name all over the guide book. If you then buy a guide book with someone's name all over it and it's not theirs, be suspicious. Still not foolproof of course but more practical.

In reply to Sir Chasm: they did not have a guide book with them when we arrived

In reply to autolycus: As long as you're sure, I'd hate you to make a mistake.

In reply to timmsy:you are so funny, i am on my back, honestly

In reply to Sir Chasm: you guys

In reply to Wonko The Sane: no i don't live that way, but i would not want these people to nick someones bag of kit, so i posted, too warn others of these light fingered climbers.

In reply to Wonko The Sane:


Oh yes, excellent!

In reply to autolycus: Auto,

post wasn't aimed at you...... perfectly reasonable to post about stolen equipment. Just felt the following post was a teeny bit of an overeaction!!

I imagined the chap running around his bedroom having read the screen, hairbrush waving in the air, dress only partly done up, railing at the injustice of it all


Well that's what I do anyway.

In reply to timmsy:

Sorry you got belongings nicked, but you can't reasonably expect people to stop selling /buying second-hand goods without receipt. Every day in our society huge numbers of items change ownership in this way.

Also, if the climbers stole the book because they intend to use it for climbing in the area, then they're not likely to sell it on in the near future.

Good idea to warn people about theives active in the area, though.

In reply to bpmclimb:

Sorry .. thieves. I do hate making spelling misteaks

In reply to autolycus: Bad news. I wonder if there is any connection with the spate of lower-off thefts on the A55 crags?

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=508131

In reply to bpmclimb: please re-read what i wrote,no mention of sale of second hand goods,just a warning to fellow climbers to keep a eye on their kit.

In reply to Wonko The Sane: Would the spread sheet app used, be called Izal?

In reply to autolycus:

Please note that my reply was to Timmsy, not to you - and he (or she?) definitely did mention second hand goods. I said sorry about the loss of belongings because I got the distinct impression that Timmsy had been climbing with you and had been affected by the loss of the guidebook. I could, however, be mistaken about this.

If you are going to suggest to people that they re-read posts, then at least make sure you've read things carefully yourself first (please).

In reply to autolycus:

I suppose the question is, would you report this sort of behaviour to the police?

In reply to EZ:would you?

In reply to bpmclimb: my apologies.

In reply to autolycus:

Mine too

In reply to rockcat:

Quote from that thread: "In reply to Chris Craggs: Chris they were equipped with old stainless steel crabs donated to the bolt fund by various outdoor centres".

Quote from this thread: "They were climbing with steel carabiners without quickdraws"

Looks possible.

In reply to autolycus: the plot thickens! Steel krabs for pro, steel lower off stole previous. Mmmmmmmm.

In reply to autolycus: Not get the number plate, if you have phone PC Plod, simples.

In reply to autolycus: If I see 'em,I'll blind 'em x

In reply to autolycus: I wouldn't be able to climb or do many of the things I like without being able to buy second hand equipment, I just couldn't afford it.