firewood thefts

[Meadowcopse]

From the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-17546497

I think there have been a few discussions on this, noticed a small amount of 'shrinkage' at my plot in approximate car-boot sized quantity intervals...

[tracy]

I think this is becoming a bigger worry these days as the value goes up!

[Dennis]

So your firewood was cut and ready to take away? Why not leave the cutting until the last minute before you do the loading and taking away? Can't be many firewood thieves who turn up with a chainsaw ready to cut 10ft lengths down to size. If they're that prepared nothing will stop them.

[happybonzo]

The trouble is that unless you have a really switched-on Rural Beats policeman you will not get much help from the normal Rozzer.

Show most Cops a pile of product and tell them that is worth £40 or £50 and you can watch their eyes glaze over. The fact that it's taken you maybe a day or two of B. hard work to get that together doesn't seem to register.

And Heaven help you if you try to report the theft of a Tractor or some other piece of large expensive Plant. You'll be given the third degree as to why didn't you remove it to a locked secure location every night

[Meadowcopse]

Most of the stuff was deliberately left long and on top of last years dry shorter stuff up the field hedge - someone had been down the near-by track with a chainsaw taking trackside / overhanging stuff (none of the neighbouring landowners know who), I'm guessing they got to my end of the track and wandered through and found the pile.

Ifor Williams trailers, ride-on mowers and power garden tools and even Landrovers are popular theft items recently.

I'm near a raised country A-road and recently disturbed a smartly dressed 30 year old and his missus about to spray-paint a concrete underpass, doubt it was Banksy judging by previous artistic efforts.

A couple of quad bikers recently hung around sheepishly, said they had permission off 'The farmer' but were keen to clear off when I said I was one of them and you won't mind me phoning the neighbours to check...

I find it amazing the effort some folk take to travel from areas of habitation to commit minor crime or damage in more remote areas.

We used to have an old rural beat policeman who knew everyone and everything, but that sort of thing seems to have gone by the wayside a while ago.