Que Sera Sera

[Moley]

I get the distinct impression that some totally innocent and completely unsuspecting couple / family are going to be in for quite a shock at the kerfuffle going on around them when the boat is found or they return it to base.

 

I would certainly be rather concerned about the chartering company's vetting procedure, surely most boat hires would be booked months in advance and a booking deposit taken? In the highly unlikely event that this boat isn't found or returned, that charter company must be liable?

[Nev]

Carole & Tony,

 

If you have not already done so have you asked Ray at Streehay to phone all the crane and haulage contractors he knows to see what lifts they have done over the period your boat has gone missing. (Or he could give you the details for you to phone)

 

Just a thought. I really hope it is a short time before you get your pride and joy back, keep positive,

 

Nev

[mayalld]

The camera was set-up incorrectly. (fact)

 

The photo's are recent.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I must say I find this very odd behaviour on the part of the "hirers" if they are attempting to steal the boat. If the sightings are accurate then there does not seem to have been any attempt to disguise the boat in anyway or to move it away from relatively close proximity to its home base . In fact it is the sort of behaviour one would expect from normal hire use.

 

I am just wondering if there is any possibility that the original hirers have completely misunderstood the hire agreement as to when the boat was due back or possibly someone has been very clever and pretended to be the owners and hired it out again of even sold it to an unsuspecting customer.

 

Based on the sightings, we have to consider the following possibilities;

1. Innocent mistake. The hirers may think they hired the boat for longer than they did.
   
2. Deliberate trail laying. Spend a few days travelling not very far, and being seen so as to establish a direction of travel, then do a makeshift disguise job on the boat before doubling back, and going as far as possible without being conspicuous, then getting somewhere very quiet to complete the makeover.
   
3. Sell the boat on during the weeks hire to an unsuspecting dupe.
   

[Tiny]

Holly followed option 2 but he tootled to a place close enough to dive into the BCN and off the map to paint the boat by the end of the hire period.

 

This lot haven't done that - unless they thought the AShby would be a place to hide while repainting. (This implies they don't know the modern canals.

 

The 1st and 3rd options are more lightly.

 

Is the toilet a pumpout or elsan by the way - this might make a difference after a couple of weeks and, if the boat is a pumpout, a few calls to stations in the area where it has been and could get to might get a result.

[T.A]

Holly followed option 2 but he tootled to a place close enough to dive into the BCN and off the map to paint the boat by the end of the hire period.

 

This lot haven't done that - unless they thought the AShby would be a place to hide while repainting. (This implies they don't know the modern canals.

 

The 1st and 3rd options are more lightly.

 

Is the toilet a pumpout or elsan by the way - this might make a difference after a couple of weeks and, if the boat is a pumpout, a few calls to stations in the area where it has been and could get to might get a result.

How can option 1 be possible when the owners have said the details given were fraudulent!

[mayalld]

How can option 1 be possible when the owners have said the details given were fraudulent!

 

I'm trying to separate facts from opinions.

 

A statement has been made that the contact details given were fraudulent, but that statement hasn't been qualified with any information as to what has lead to that conclusion.

 

If, for example, the owner has tried repeatedly to phone the hirer but got no reply, it could be that he is on a 2 week boating holiday (for example). In the absence of something that definitively points to deliberate falsification of details, I don't think we can go further than "it has proved impossible to verify the contact details given by the hirer"

[alan_fincher]

Based on the sightings, we have to consider the following possibilities;

1. Innocent mistake. The hirers may think they hired the boat for longer than they did.
   
2. Deliberate trail laying. Spend a few days travelling not very far, and being seen so as to establish a direction of travel, then do a makeshift disguise job on the boat before doubling back, and going as far as possible without being conspicuous, then getting somewhere very quiet to complete the makeover.
   
3. Sell the boat on during the weeks hire to an unsuspecting dupe.
   

 

There's also Number 4, of course - the "thieves"/"hirers" are very stupid, and think they have gone far enough or don't think anyone will easily find them.

 

I have to say Number 2 sounds incredibly unlikely - they haven't spent "a few days" travelling around in an unaltered, still-named boat - they have spent a full 2 weeks doing it. If that's their plan, then I'd say Number 4, (very stupid), also applies.

 

If this boat is really on the Coventry, or nearby, with a massive name still on it, I really don't understand why it's not been found TBH.

[Digipete]

I did happen to notice that in the photos from the EBay listing, there is a stove in the lounge with NO flue pipe attached. In fact looking above it in the picture there is not even a hole in the ceiling above. This seems to me a very pertinent piece of information to be looking for. If the owners happen to pop in, could you verify that the boat still has no flue pipe? To me, that seemingly little piece of evidence would make the boat stick out like a sore thumb.

 

If this question can be answered, Me or one of the mods can edit the boat description. Thanks Kindly!

[carole 'que sera sera']

thank you so much for yor help we hav downloaded it fine

 

really really happy with all the help

 

xx

 

 

I have put together a poster that can be printed, put in boat windows, shop windows etc and is attached below.

 

Many thanks,

 

Jon

 

Download poster

[Yoda]

I shall be in Birmingham on Friday and Saturday so will pop down to Coventry or where the boat is last reported to see what I can do.

 

Can't be that difficult to arrest a few people.

[carole 'que sera sera']

i just to confirm for my parents it does have a flue and a chimney the collar is still left without being painted its silver, the photographs were taken befoer the stove was fitted

 

regards

 

zoe

 

I missed that amongst all the "noise", Keith.

 

Does this mean that the boat still has a solid fuel stove with no flue and chimney ?

 

(I can't really see that passing a BSS, though!).

 

 

As to the other questions, my take on latest information from cheshire~rose is that no attempt has been made to disguise the boat, or even paint out it's name.

 

As I've already said several times, these are either pretty stupid thieves, or there is more going down here than a simple theft, I can't help feeling.

 

Bu**ered if I can work out what it is, though.

 

If this boat, really is in the Coventry, or somewhere nearby, unaltered, with it's name still on, it can't be hard to locate, surely ?

[mayalld]

There's also Number 4, of course - the "thieves"/"hirers" are very stupid, and think they have gone far enough or don't think anyone will easily find them.

 

I have to say Number 2 sounds incredibly unlikely - they haven't spent "a few days" travelling around in an unaltered, still-named boat - they have spent a full 2 weeks doing it. If that's their plan, then I'd say Number 4, (very stupid), also applies.

 

If this boat is really on the Coventry, or nearby, with a massive name still on it, I really don't understand why it's not been found TBH.

 

It is fair to say that, in general, most of the criminal fraternity are not nearly as smart as they think they are, and I suppose that we are all giving them a lot more credit for potential cunning plans than they deserve.

 

Despite all the flights of fancy that we go into as to possibilities, the probablity remains that what we are looking at is some low-IQ scrote who thinks he will get away with it.

[carole 'que sera sera']

it is an elsan cassette toilet just to clarift

 

regards zoe

xx

 

Holly followed option 2 but he tootled to a place close enough to dive into the BCN and off the map to paint the boat by the end of the hire period.

 

This lot haven't done that - unless they thought the AShby would be a place to hide while repainting. (This implies they don't know the modern canals.

 

The 1st and 3rd options are more lightly.

 

Is the toilet a pumpout or elsan by the way - this might make a difference after a couple of weeks and, if the boat is a pumpout, a few calls to stations in the area where it has been and could get to might get a result.

 

 

hi

 

yes it does has a flue pipe and chimney these were put in after photos taken the collar is still silver not painted

 

many thanks

 

zoe

 

I did happen to notice that in the photos from the EBay listing, there is a stove in the lounge with NO flue pipe attached. In fact looking above it in the picture there is not even a hole in the ceiling above. This seems to me a very pertinent piece of information to be looking for. If the owners happen to pop in, could you verify that the boat still has no flue pipe? To me, that seemingly little piece of evidence would make the boat stick out like a sore thumb.

 

If this question can be answered, Me or one of the mods can edit the boat description. Thanks Kindly!

[carole 'que sera sera']

hi

 

just an update on whats going on. i have got my parents round here now and insisted they speak to the police they have had no contact from them since it was reported.

my dad has insisted he speaks to a super and now we are waiting for a call back that is promised within the next ten minutes

 

will keep you posted - thay have not even confirmed they have collected cctv footage from marina yet

 

regards

 

carole tony and family

 

xx

[mayalld]

hi

 

just an update on whats going on. i have got my parents round here now and insisted they speak to the police they have had no contact from them since it was reported.

my dad has insisted he speaks to a super and now we are waiting for a call back that is promised within the next ten minutes

 

Good.

 

Police can be very good at telling you nothing more can be done. The truth is that they are undermanned, and that prioritisation is often a matter of who will accept being fobbed off. Turning up at the front desk, and asking to speak to the duty inspector because you wish to make a formal complaing about the handling of the case usually works wonders.

[carole 'que sera sera']

shock horror they still have not called back

[Rojo]

 

 

Last Seen:

Last sighted near junction with Ashby heading towards Coventry at around 13:30hrs 15/03/09. At 09:30hrs 15/03 was seen at Shakerstone.

 

One of these sightings seems unlikely, cruising time between these two points would be more like six or seven hours, than four. Assuming they were not speeding.

[carole 'que sera sera']

hi my dad is now back on the phone to the police who again are trying to say the officer on duty is on leave for two weeks

begginning to wonder if they will ever bother to help us - o hang on now they are saying everone involved in this is on leave until thursday - it just gets better

 

xx

[Digipete]

i just to confirm for my parents it does have a flue and a chimney the collar is still left without being painted its silver, the photographs were taken befoer the stove was fitted

 

regards

 

zoe

 

Thank you, the description has been updated.

[denboy]

hi my dad is now back on the phone to the police who again are trying to say the officer on duty is on leave for two weeks

begginning to wonder if they will ever bother to help us - o hang on now they are saying everone involved in this is on leave until thursday - it just gets better

 

xx

If it were me i would put in an official complaint and contact the local paper informing them of the fiasco bloody scandalous

[alan_fincher]

Good.

 

Police can be very good at telling you nothing more can be done. The truth is that they are undermanned, and that prioritisation is often a matter of who will accept being fobbed off. Turning up at the front desk, and asking to speak to the duty inspector because you wish to make a formal complaing about the handling of the case usually works wonders.

It's not entirely obvious me what the police can do.

 

We have two claimed sightings of the boat, but as somebody has pointed out it is unlikely to have been in both those places at those times, (the Ashby not being noted as a canal where speeds well in excess of 4mph are easily achieved).

 

The last of those sightings is now way over a day old, with nothing new reported. It probably isn't, but could easily be 30 miles away from the Ashby by now. I can't see the police walking up to 60 miles of towpath, or deploying a helicopter.

 

Surely the best hope is to spread the news until it's located, then insist on police involvement ?

 

 

Also it's a small thing, but we were told the photographs were recent, but the boat apparently has a flue and chimney not in the photos. Have there been any other changes since the photos were taken, please ?

[Yoda]

They would not like it if we took the law into our own hands and dealt with this problem.

[carole 'que sera sera']

yes all that is in order and all haulage companies aware of the boat to keep an eye out

 

xx

 

Carole & Tony,

 

If you have not already done so have you asked Ray at Streehay to phone all the crane and haulage contractors he knows to see what lifts they have done over the period your boat has gone missing. (Or he could give you the details for you to phone)

 

Just a thought. I really hope it is a short time before you get your pride and joy back, keep positive,

 

Nev

 

 

your right had we have found the boat with the original hirers on it and used force to get them off we would have been arrested the law needs revising sometimes i think

 

xx

 

They would not like it if we took the law into our own hands and dealt with this problem.

 

 

we understand what you are saying but the main thing with the police getting in touch with us is that we have been told the police went to the boat yard sometime monday to look through cctv that may hold vital evidence of both the hirers and their car but heard nothing at all. the boat yard manager informed us they had been not them themselves

 

xx

 

 

It's not entirely obvious me what the police can do.

 

We have two claimed sightings of the boat, but as somebody has pointed out it is unlikely to have been in both those places at those times, (the Ashby not being noted as a canal where speeds well in excess of 4mph are easily achieved).

 

The last of those sightings is now way over a day old, with nothing new reported. It probably isn't, but could easily be 30 miles away from the Ashby by now. I can't see the police walking up to 60 miles of towpath, or deploying a helicopter.

 

Surely the best hope is to spread the news until it's located, then insist on police involvement ?

 

 

Also it's a small thing, but we were told the photographs were recent, but the boat apparently has a flue and chimney not in the photos. Have there been any other changes since the photos were taken, please ?

 

 

no other changes mate - the flue and chimney were only put in two weeks before it was hired out

 

xx

 

 

yes all that is in order and all haulage companies aware of the boat to keep an eye out

 

xx

 

 

 

 

your right had we have found the boat with the original hirers on it and used force to get them off we would have been arrested the law needs revising sometimes i think

 

xx

 

 

 

 

we understand what you are saying but the main thing with the police getting in touch with us is that we have been told the police went to the boat yard sometime monday to look through cctv that may hold vital evidence of both the hirers and their car but heard nothing at all. the boat yard manager informed us they had been not them themselves

 

xx

 

 

someone has only just called back- the officer that watched the tv footage is not back on duty until tommorrow after 3pm so we will know more then you would think this day and age all could have access to it- obviously wewre wrong??

 

xx

[Ex- Member]

How can option 1 be possible when the owners have said the details given were fraudulent!

 

I thought I had read through the posts quite carefully, clearly I've missed this info along the line, although i have mentioned the details of hire deal being relevant.

 

If they left fraudulent details then clearly their up to no good. Did they pay in cash or duff check.

 

If they paid in cash and used false details, they would have planned on getting a return. If they paid by duff cheque then they are possibly conning a free holiday, although if you were going to do this then book for 2,3, 4 weeks not just one, although the bouncing cheque would give the game away early on anyway. Guessing the motives of the couple hiring might give a clue as to their intentions. How quick was the booking arranged, short notice might suggest no particular plan by the hirers.

 

Was this hire arranged via e-bay ?

 

I find it strange with so many boaters and others on the alert this hasn't been spotted since the last sighting. How reliable was that siting, was it a possible diversion.

[cheshire~rose]

I find it strange with so many boaters and others on the alert this hasn't been spotted since the last sighting. How reliable was that siting, was it a possible diversion.

 

I have only just got home and caught up with the thread so you lot have been more on the ball than me today!

 

According to Carole the siting at Shakerstone was made by a continuous cruiser who telephoned a friend who concequently telephone Carole. The person who saw it described the boat as a blue liverpool boat with the name Que Sera Sera on it. The person passing on the info described the person who made the sighting a thoroughly reliable and a guy that "knows his boats"

 

Canalplan automatically selects 2.5 MPH for narrow canals - at this time of year there will be no water shortage and with hardly any other boats on the move you can keep to the centre of the channel. If you reset the parameters on canalplan to 4mph the journey from Shackerstone to Marston Junction takes 4 hours 36 minutes which matches almost exactly with the two sightings