34 replies to this topic

[bikerbabe]

Blooming scrap men - years ago they used to ask you for your scrap and take it away on the back of their little horse and cart (according to my mum!) and they actually used to give you a little something for your scrap! Nowadays they sneak into your garden and take things from right outside your back door!!!

I have had a hoover and an ironing board taken before now - fair enough I had left them outside with intentions of taking them to the tip. Had to go out for an hour, came back and they had gone - saved me a journey I suppose.

But yesterday I dug out a portable BBQ that I have had for a while and gave it a good clean and left it propped up on the back (well its to the side of the house) door step to dry off and I forgot about it.. This morning its gone!!

I think I actually heard them this morning though, I heard the van outside and the dog was barking, then I heard something that sounded like something getting thrown into the back of the van and then it drove off.. and drove passed the house again 2 minutes later!!

Thieving Scum!! Whats wrong with actually knocking and asking the householder if they need the items anymore instead of just sneaking in and taking it! Im now going to have to go out and buy a new BBQ, though I haven't seen the style of this BBQ for a long while!

[MrsM]

Sounds like theft to me. I would report them to the police!

[Sebastian-Smythe]

MrsM, on 29 July 2011 - 08:32 AM, said:

Sounds like theft to me. I would report them to the police!

Thanks for reporting it on here as well but do report it to the Police.

We must ALL be vigilant now and while I think, if any of you have horses
do take your saddles and tack home with you after a ride. A friend has
lost a considerable amount and from a very secure tack room too.

But back to scrap metal.

Perhaps you could use the Forum to build up a 'picture'of where these reprobates hit.
Something to alert others and the Police too. What do you think Matt?

[bikerbabe]

Burley Website said police contact point is open on Thursday evenings and Friday mornings - The website is wrong! Its only there on a Thursday evening.. Went down today to report it only to be told the police are not there on a Friday, only Thursdays.. ho hum! Will have to go back down then - meanwhile I wouldn't leave anything outside..!!


Off tangent slightly - but how many scrap men actually come round Burley?? There was the one who came round Tuesday, no idea of colour of van as, of course, I didn't see it... but Weds morning I saw a yellow one driving around - they were actually calling out Rag and Bone - which makes a change, then today (Friday) I saw a red one driving slowly round with a lad walking alongside it looking up the sides of houses and in gardens etc.. That's 2 possibly 3 in one week!

[Sebastian-Smythe]

bikerbabe, on 29 July 2011 - 04:52 PM, said:

Burley Website said police contact point is open on Thursday evenings and Friday mornings - The website is wrong! Its only there on a Thursday evening.. Went down today to report it only to be told the police are not there on a Friday, only Thursdays.. ho hum! Will have to go back down then - meanwhile I wouldn't leave anything outside..!!


Off tangent slightly - but how many scrap men actually come round Burley?? There was the one who came round Tuesday, no idea of colour of van as, of course, I didn't see it... but Weds morning I saw a yellow one driving around - they were actually calling out Rag and Bone - which makes a change, then today (Friday) I saw a red one driving slowly round with a lad walking alongside it looking up the sides of houses and in gardens etc.. That's 2 possibly 3 in one week!

That's the type of observation everyone including our Police can make use of, and, should these folk be reading this Forum it will show Burley is not another Sleepy Hollow.

[Mrs L]

Yes there's definitely some instances of theft taking place in the guise of scrap metal merchants. In the last couple of months I'm aware of a bike, a pram and a garden gate (that had come off its hinges) being taken out of gardens without permission, all which were still wanted by the owners. This has been reported to the police, along with the number plate of the suspected van (an 'R' reg, however it turned out, surprise surprise, the van wasn't registered or something so they couldn't trace the owners). These instances were in the Lawn Road, Lawn Avenue, Fenton St area and the scrap metal van backed up the back alley of the terraces and helped themselves...

Just to make sure we don't tar them all with the same brush, I have had scrap metal men knock on my door a couple of times asking if they could take things I'd left out ready to take to the tip, which I was happy for them to take.

However I think it's wise to be extra vigilent and try to avoid leaving things out. Locking gates doesn't deter them from jumping over the walls....

[Sebastian-Smythe]

Mrs L, on 16 August 2011 - 08:55 AM, said:

Yes there's definitely some instances of theft taking place in the guise of scrap metal merchants. In the last couple of months I'm aware of a bike, a pram and a garden gate (that had come off its hinges) being taken out of gardens without permission, all which were still wanted by the owners. This has been reported to the police, along with the number plate of the suspected van (an 'R' reg, however it turned out, surprise surprise, the van wasn't registered or something so they couldn't trace the owners). These instances were in the Lawn Road, Lawn Avenue, Fenton St area and the scrap metal van backed up the back alley of the terraces and helped themselves...

Just to make sure we don't tar them all with the same brush, I have had scrap metal men knock on my door a couple of times asking if they could take things I'd left out ready to take to the tip, which I was happy for them to take.

However I think it's wise to be extra vigilent and try to avoid leaving things out. Locking gates doesn't deter them from jumping over the walls....

Perhaps the Police can't trace them but if the number is known and there's a description of the van surely putting it up on the Net for all to see would go some way to catching the reprobates.

Are we aloud to do that Matt?



Sorry about this folks I'm having problems with the broadband. Perhaps someone at your end could move one of those posts....

Edited by Sebastian-Smythe, 16 August 2011 - 10:00 AM.

[Matt]

Sebastian-Smythe, on 16 August 2011 - 09:58 AM, said:

Are we aloud to do that Matt?

No objection to areas being highlighted, descrptions of vans, etc that may be useful to others. Be careful about any accusations though. I don't want to be sued and I imagine you don't either!

Matt

[ex-user]

I'm interested in metals!
You need to cut these guys some slack.
Their efforts end up as valuable exports,
the cash earned goes into the economy.
99% of what they take is trash
yet the police put a higher than normal
amount of resources into giving these
====hell, I'll say the word----
travellers
a very hard time.

They are self employed, motivated businessmen
who could show the unwashed
a thing or two about morals
ethics
and the worthlessness of red tape.
strip an economy bare and it comes down to who can
get out of bed
go to work
and return a profit
without the benefit
of anything other than
motivation.

We should applaud these lads
but likely as not
many fear their
success.

[bikerbabe]

I am not presuming these guys are gypsies, in fact I don't think that they are - the guys who came onto my property and into my garden and blatantly stole from more are basically thieves, nothing more and nothing less..! They did not even attempt to find out if I wanted my item or not, they just took it.
I don't care if they are self employed, unemployed, working for others or living in a flat/house/caravan/cardboard box... a thief is a thief!!




Just a shame I wasn't able to let the dogs out at the appropriate time..

[wharfedalegas]

bikerbabe, on 29 August 2011 - 12:27 AM, said:

I am not presuming these guys are gypsies, in fact I don't think that they are - the guys who came onto my property and into my garden and blatantly stole from more are basically thieves, nothing more and nothing less..! They did not even attempt to find out if I wanted my item or not, they just took it.
I don't care if they are self employed, unemployed, working for others or living in a flat/house/caravan/cardboard box... a thief is a thief!!




Just a shame I wasn't able to let the dogs out at the appropriate time..

Totally agree with you Bikerbabe

As someone who works in the metal industries , I have for years had to put up with these thieving parasites disrupting my working life.

[ex-user]

There are tea-leaves everywhere
so it's a good idea to keep things safe
and seeing as scrap metal is valuable
anything metal is vulnerable to theft.

There is a recession on
best keep things nailed down
or they may walk!

Are you a heating engineer WharfedaleG?

Had a few of them over the years,
they took away my old copper pipes
and brass fittings
and my precious lead!
never informed me they were valuable
didn't add back the value to the final invoice.

Some might see that as a perk of the job
others as theft.

[PhilD]

There are tea-leaves everywhere
so it's a good idea to keep things safe
and seeing as scrap metal is valuable
anything metal is vulnerable to theft.



and yet you applaud them as "self employed, motivated businessmen"

what a muppet

[wharfedalegas]

PhilD, on 29 August 2011 - 09:27 PM, said:

and yet you applaud them as "self employed, motivated businessmen"

what a muppet

Over the past 10 years I have been involved in the following incidences with these "self employed, motivated businessmen"

1) Had a pick-up stolen together with £20k worth of bronze material , they smash their way in the works through a roof to gain access

2) A break in to a building, then used a forklift to ram the works gates open to make their escape , a pick up and £10k worth of bronze "recycled" !

3) Used a stolen fork lift from another company to smash open a rear gate , stole about £5k worth of non ferrous material to expand their business interest!

I have also been threaten on a number of occasions by these self motivated business men when they come around asking for scrap and they don't like the negative answer !

Edited by wharfedalegas, 30 August 2011 - 07:52 AM.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

wharfedalegas, on 30 August 2011 - 07:02 AM, said:

Over the past 10 years I have been involved in the following incidences with these "self employed, motivated businessmen"

1) Had a pick-up stolen together with £20k worth of bronze material , they smash their way in the works through a roof to gain access

2) A break in to a building, then used a forklift to ram the works gates open to make their escape , a pick up and £10k worth of bronze "recycled" !

3) Used a stolen fork lift from another company to smash open a rear gate , stole about £5k worth of non ferrous material to expand their business interest!

I have also been threaten on a number of occasions by these self motivated business men when they come around asking for scrap and they don't like the negative answer !

I believe that answers your questions.

Your assertion that these 'businessmen' are not Roma reminds me of a conversation some years ago with a visiting Roma when we discussed this very matter. He said not all Roma were angels but neither were our lot. In other words we should not use others as scapegoats unless sure of our words. Often wonder what happened to that family. Taught me a lot about Roma history and tradition. Sorry Matt, off wandering again.

[marygill]

A few months back I looked out and saw two "scrap men" in my garden going through a skip which was ready for collection. I asked what the hell they thought they were doing, as they went down the drive clutching a kitchen sink,and pointed out that if they had asked they could have taken it.
They became very abusive and aggresive and I felt really threatened by their behaviour and choice use of the f word.
I phoned the police who said that if it happened again I should report it!!!!.

Edited by marygill, 30 August 2011 - 02:39 PM.

[ex-user]

A thief is a thief
whether it be someone fiddling their taxes
or breaking into industrial premises,
or someone taking something from a skip
that which does not belong to them.

There are quite a few men in pick-ups
driving around the area
usually white
spoken about in the way that immigrants
from Ireland and the West Indies
once had to bear.
I have dealt with many of these people
and they have always been honest and hardworking
polite and proud.

There are rogue elements in every part of society
rogue plumbers
rogue accountants
but the man driving the white pickup
loaded with metal rubbish
is branded
a criminal
just because of the few in his profession
that steal.
It doesn't matter whether scrap men are Romanies
Irish Traveler or otherwise or where they live.
But once again those that fear the Bogey man
fear what is different.
So we see a discussion branding all scrap men criminals
and I am branded Muppet by a disrespectful PhilD

Get on google earth
see Southampton
and see the piles of scrap destined for overseas
one of our few remaining exports
in a country whose infrastructure is decaying
and ask yourself whether that old Barbecue
you tossed on a skip because you couldn't be bothered to recycle
would have been better off in land fill
than being exported to China via white van man.

So just for the record,
and to clarify
all you above posters hate Travelers
and reckon they are all thieves
correct?

Edited by greenhowleadman, 30 August 2011 - 03:51 PM.

[wharfedalegas]

greenhowleadman, on 30 August 2011 - 03:49 PM, said:

So just for the record,
and to clarify
all you above posters hate Travelers
and reckon they are all thieves
correct?

How dare you draw that conclusion !

Quote me from any sections of the above posts that anyone,

apart from you,

has mentioned the travelling communities.

An apology to all would be welcome

[ex-user]

wharfedalegas, on 30 August 2011 - 04:52 PM, said:

How dare you draw that conclusion !

Quote me from any sections of the above posts that anyone,

apart from you,

has mentioned the travelling communities.

An apology to all would be welcome

Apology freely given if you feel it is required.
I must admit, I sensed some bigotry
unspoken,
perhaps it was in my imagination.
"These people" are mentioned above
"scrap men"

But really the description should be criminals
or thieves.

The assumption is that most of these people/ scrapmen that collect scrap
left out as rubbish are travelers
an assumption that is probably a fact
seeing as the Police mention it as such
everytime they have a purge.
and work in conjunction with other policy enforcers
setting up roadside checks
where other potential criminals
are allowed to drive unhindered
but white pickup men are assumed to be likely to:
be using rebated fuels
avoiding taxes
claiming benefits
not being in possession of a waste traders licence
wanted on bail.
among other things.

So it is great we are agreed that there are good and bad
in every community.
My work on this thread
is therefore done.
Peace and Love.

Edited by greenhowleadman, 30 August 2011 - 07:40 PM.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

wharfedalegas, on 30 August 2011 - 04:52 PM, said:

How dare you draw that conclusion !

Quote me from any sections of the above posts that anyone,

apart from you,

has mentioned the travelling communities.

An apology to all would be welcome

Likewise!

I made friends in the Roma community over the years and take that as an insult.