Another Stolen Loco

Another sad story - keep a lookout.  This is a BBC news item  **LINK**

Edited By Swarf Maker on 10/06/2021 19:09:16

Awful case and the victim is very lucky he was not more seriously injured.

I wonder if the thugs were not stealing the loco for themselves but to order, but if they were I hope the Police have circulated the scrap-yards to be on the lookout for unusual metalwork being brought in. I doubt the scum would know how and where to even try selling it.

The car might well have been stolen for the purpiose too, and if so has quite likely been dumped somewhere and set on fire.

I cannot believe that it would have been stolen for its scrap metal value. It would be prudent when building a valuble model like that to mark a number of the components with the makers full name before assembling, to give the police a better chance of identifying stolen property in the very unlikely event of a loss.

I can only think of two destinations; 1) A scrap yard for the copper or 2) it was stolen to order by an enthusiast.

If 2) is the case it shocks me to my core that our hobby could contain people like that.

A friend of mine had a large number (at least 10) locos stolen from his factory unit where he kept part of his collection. None of them were ever recovered. The thieves were just after scrap metal so they all probably finished up in a scrap yard somewhere. One of the locos was a 2½" Gauge King that I had just finished restoring for him so I wasn't very happy either.

The thieves made a return visit and my friend was foolishly waiting for them. He tackled them and was hit over the head and thrown down an embankment. He was lucky to escape serious injury or worse.

John

Jon-

Stolen to order, but more likely by an unscrupulous collector of anything arts/ crafts for the mere delight in having things others don't, irrespective of any appreciation or method of acquisition.

Oh they exist, just not necessarily in the hobby though. Remember that bloke with the Dutch or Dutch-sounding name some years ago now, in trouble I think for among things building a massively pretentious mansion without planning-permission? A nasty piece of work by all accounts, he was no real art-lover but had accumulated a private collection of original "big-name" paintings, possibly legally (he was rich enough), and left instructions in his will that they be destroyed so be lost to future generations.

Jon, P van Hoogstraten...? Nasty piece of work....

Martin

Edited By V8Eng on 11/06/2021 1

Edited By V8Eng on 11/06/2021 11:22:51

Absolute horror story.

Good luck to the police, I hope they take criminals who are prepared to bash an old man down seriously.

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I doubt if this item was stolen for scrap, more likely stolen to order, as my van was some years ago.

Dont look to the police to make any effort to find it, the shower here could not even find a van on an island, never mind a model engine !

That item now belongs to some stupid moron who could not make it for himself.

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Hi That is sad news; also does anyone know if Mr Day who built the superb 4 inch Sentinel steam waggon( see cover of me 4557) got it recovered,? That was sometime ago ...As I understand it the crooks were definitely professional as it was well secured and in a trailer, front drive ect I can understand that being a professional job and with limited copper value on it, but special built Rare item,but for a Maxitrak r1 with a 70 lb ? copper boiler seems a bit wild... even if it was £2 a lb scrap copper value... it would not add up to a lot... it is a bit confusing really... a worry all the same...perhaps things will get worse now, with economic downturn...?

vic

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Vic,

As far as I know from the last time I spoke to Ian there has never been trace of it found. In that case being such an individual model I would agree it was a professional job and probably filched for a private collector. I very much doubt it was taken for scrap. I wouldn't be surprised if in years to come it re-appears somewhere beyond our shores!

In the case of the loco from other info on the web it would seem it was presented to an antique dealer about 30 miles away from where it was stolen, said dealer declined to buy it but told the fellow it was worth more than he was asking for it.......!! It has also been said elsewhere that the car has been traced to its previous keeper only who sold it for cash some weeks back to "travellers". Needless to say they did not register new keeper details!

I would say the above suggests it was opportunist as if stolen to order they wouldn't be moving it on at a high street antique shop. Considering the vehicle I would guess the boys in blue would be pretty certain who was involved and there is a high probability they live currently somewhere in the area. However with no means of proof this will remain unsolved and with publicity both items will be subjected to an angle grinder and turn up at the local scrap yard. The law sadly only works against those that abide by it!

You never know who is looking at what you have! There are plenty of people only to happy to take it away from you even if they only get a fraction of its value! Sad thing is a lot of these things have a value greater than money.

Paul.

Hi Paul, Thank you for the worrying update as regards Mr Day’s Sentinel; I shall keep a lookout even if it was repainted the high quality of the Sentinel would be hard to disguise. Would Mr Day make another Sentinel to replace? I wonder?I am lost for words about the situation.

regards

Vic

Hi Paul, Thank you for the worrying update as regards Mr Day’s Sentinel; I shall keep a lookout even if it was repainted the high quality of the Sentinel would be hard to disguise. Would Mr Day make another Sentinel to replace? I wonder?I am lost for words about the situation.

regards

Vic