Up Coming Poole Harbour Watch Meeting 6th Feb 2019
For More details click HERE
Notes from PHW security meeting on 6th Feb 2018
Martyn Underhill – Dorset Police Crime Commissioner
- Martyn fought to keep the Dorset Police Marine Section
- Argued that Marine Policing very important in Dorset because of 90 miles of coast
- Borderforce now more obvious – most illegals entering Dorset come from Bilboa, Spain
- Martyn has persuaded Borderforce to pilot the French Captainaire system – an ex-mariner in every port – tasked to be vigilant
- Dorset works in partnership with Devon & Cornwall – recently trialling drone technology – in the air and underwater
Guy Shimmonds – Chief Inspector Dorset Police
- Responsible for 160 staff in Devon, Dorset & Cornwall
- Has a boat at Cobbs Quay
- In period Apr 2016 – Apr 2017 – 42,236 reported crimes of which 73 were marine/watercraft related
- 88 projected for Apr 2017 – 2018 – so far 69 thefts, 10 criminal damage
- Thefts are mainly of outboards left on view, boats/PWC on trailers
- Dorset Marine Police section:-
- comprises 4 permanent staff – 1x Sergeant, 2x Constables, 1x PCSO
- RIB stationed at Poole Quay
- has access to other staff when needed
- staff have numerous duties, including
- community engagement, crime prevention, intelligence gathering
- multi-agency working
- undertaking warrants and crime enquiries
- search and body recovery
- diving & firearms
- Covers up to 12 miles offshore as well as inland waterways
- Security
- current overall threat level – severe – attack is highly likely
- current maritime threat level – moderate – attack is possible but not likely
- stressed intelligence is required from the public – especially project Kraken
- For crime in action – always use 999
- Statistics on arrests & convictions for marine crime TBA!!
Yvonne Hall & colleagues – A-Plan Marine Insurance
- Theft from moored vessels – considerations
- Loose/detachable items – can they be stored inside vessel and hidden?
- Points where entry could be forced
- Mooring too concealed or too easily accessible
- Reduce risk by taking a proactive approach
- Take items ashore wherever possible
- Implement as many security measures as possible such as:-
- For outboard engines – locks, locking propeller nuts, locking bolt on gearbox
- For trailers – wheel clamps, hitch locks, wheel nuts, ground anchor
- GPS trackers
- chaining vessel to its trailer or mooring – note that chains are easier to break than a multicore cable
- tagging acts as a deterrent e.g. Smartwater, SelectDNA etc
- put lights on a timer – low voltage LEDs
- Keep records in a safe place
- purchase receipts
- photographs of equipment and of security measures taken
- serial numbers and data tagging
- If theft/damage happens
- Always report marine crime to Police – to help with statistics
- Collate all the evidence you can
- Re-secure vessel asap
- Patrols such as PHW very important – so volunteer!
Nick Mayell – Datatag
- Remember a police incident number is not the same as a police crime number!
- Datatag has developed COMPASS – Combined Official Marine Property & Security System – as well as similar systems for different sectors such as construction, agriculture
- History of Datatag:-
- In 1999 139 large machines were stolen from Millennium Dome site in 3 months!
- Could not afford similar thefts during building for 2012 Olympics
- Developed system called Cesar – in which JCBs, tractors etc were fitted with security tags at manufacture
- This led to older machines being targeted which were not protected!
- On a BMW car, there are 38 key identifiers compared with an outboard engine which generally has 1 identifier on a removable sticker!
- Police often recover stolen goods, but need to identify the property and the victim
- Equipment such as outboard engines can be protected using one or more of
- RFID transponder (like cat/dog id chip) hidden randomly in wiring loom
- an Ultra Destruct warning label that etches into metal
- microscopic data dots can provide hundreds of ID points on property – which are difficult for thieves to find and remove
- Datatag warning label is often sufficient deterrent!
- Revamped database – stolenboats.org.uk – relaunched on 8th June 2017 – for use by police, insurers and general public
- Cost about £40 for kit to protect an outboard engine
- Also sell kits for boat
Key messages from meeting
- Be vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity to police
- Always report marine crime – even if not claiming on insurance
- Be proactive in protecting your equipment
- Take photos of your equipment and any security measures taken
- Support PHW
Report by Carol Turner