Containers Galore

Simon B · 22 January 2007, 11:44

So who actually owns the containers washing up on the beach in Portland bay. I had heard a "law" that said anything between high and low water on the beach was common property. Above is land below is still the sea.

Hightower · 22 January 2007, 12:02

There's one with BMW motorcycles in

matt h · 22 January 2007, 13:08

the container witth Motorcycles in are all mine!!! if you find one, please deliver it to me!!

codprawn · 22 January 2007, 16:15

Branscombe Police's Pc Steve Speariett said "a couple of hundred people" were on the beach on Sunday night with the same number again scavenging on Monday.

"Around 50 BMW motorbikes were carried off the beach last night," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6287457.stm

DJL · 22 January 2007, 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon B

I had heard a "law" that said anything between high and low water on the beach was common property. Above is land below is still the sea.

Under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, any wreck (includes anything washed ashore from tidal waters) must be reported to the Receiver of Wreck before you have salvage rights. The RW then determines whether you can hold onto it not.

If you don't report your find, you forfeit your claim, plus you can be fined, or have to pay twice what it’s worth or something like that.

I think I heard on the news that the Police were handing out forms for 'salvagers' to fill in.

Just read codprawns BBC link:
"They were also handing out forms so people could report what they had taken to the Receiver of Wreck. This must be done within 28 days, otherwise they are committing an offence. "

Aidan · 22 January 2007, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Branscombe Police's Pc Steve Speariett said "a couple of hundred people" were on the beach on Sunday night with the same number again scavenging on Monday.

"Around 50 BMW motorbikes were carried off the beach last night," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6287457.stm

That a Fact? TAXI, I said TAXI, lyme bay please and hurry!

wavecrosschris · 22 January 2007, 17:00

some of the containers are carrying families personal belongings who are moving house abroad etc - I can understand why they are stopping people going down and thieving what they will from the shore. One bloke on the TV was interviewed and said - 'well, they're insured aren't they?' - I hope he is... what goes around...!

vince · 22 January 2007, 18:16

I bet most were after the barrels of wine that fell overboard! Roll out the barrels and all that...

PeterR · 22 January 2007, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavecrosschris

some of the containers are carrying families personal belongings who are moving house abroad etc - I can understand why they are stopping people going down and thieving what they will from the shore. One bloke on the TV was interviewed and said - 'well, they're insured aren't they?' - I hope he is... what goes around...!

I can understand where your comimg from and agree with you about theft and i,m sure a lot of the poeple there will not carry out the proper proceedures required.

wavecrosschris · 22 January 2007, 19:17

Yeah, I'm not saying for a second if I found a single container bobbing around off the coast or found one washed up I wouldn't try to claim salvage on it if I was the first person on the scene - finders keepers benefits should apply to an extent (whatever legally these are) - but this case is different, it's a ship that is continually spewing a load overboard right next to a beach full of people because the coast guard couldn't get it to a controlled environment in time and unload it - I think the first few people down there, were quick and lucky - like with the motor bikes, then good luck to them! but people travelling from allover the country to go nick stuff out of endless containers starts to take the mickey a bit - Although they're helping with the clean up, I'd be gutted if my personal belongings were in a container and being picked off the beach by scavengers! - I know this sort of stuff has gone on for hundreds of years when ships were wrecked but it's kind of odd to see hundreds of people acting in such a way in 2007! ... though not suprising!

Hightower · 22 January 2007, 20:22

Me and the lads went down to the beach earlier today and bagged this little lot.

Anyone interested in a 275 Verado?

My next RIB is having 4 of them

Aidan · 22 January 2007, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavecrosschris

some of the containers are carrying families personal belongings who are moving house abroad etc - I can understand why they are stopping people going down and thieving what they will from the shore. One bloke on the TV was interviewed and said - 'well, they're insured aren't they?' - I hope he is... what goes around...!

I would like to agree with you, really I would,I would love to stop and talk but I am in a hurry so excuse me please,,,,,Taxi, I said TAXI, Lyme bay please and hurry,

I hope everybody gets the lot and it is spread evenly with a little for everyone,

Taxi would you hurry up please. I said lyme Bay, or Slime Bay, yep the oil is leaking and I believe its 2 stroke....

Seriously, there are a lot of people here who should be strung up over this fiasco.
I do believe that if my belongings were in as long as its not photos, I will take the money thanks and buy new ones, not sure how I would welcome all my gear back several months later, rotted. Yep Take the money.

Meanwhile, dont mind your BMW etc, it will cost you the tax payer much more than a few BMW when they finish mopping up the mess.
Besides if we found one in ireland, we would have to pay Importation Tax called VRT on it, so I cannot afford to find any on the beach.

I hope you get it all, that is all they deserve, and forget the personal belongings,,, Enjoy it, go on!

wavecrosschris · 22 January 2007, 21:24

THIEF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa5KJ5C-QP8

ian parkes · 22 January 2007, 22:57

It makes me laugh
they can't see the bigger picture
What good is any of that stuff washed up going to be after tonight's weather and a few more tides . it will be spread all over the beaches for miles in a day or two .

the so called thieves are doing everyone a favour in my opinion .

It also makes a change for people to travel from far and wide to clean up the beaches , they spend most of the summer travelling from far and wide to leave thier crap on the beaches

The authorities should encourage the beach combers , they would probably find it the cheapest way to clean up the mess .

why can't the official salvors get there until tomorrow anyway ?

Its like dropping a bag of chips in Polperro then complaining that seaguls have cleaned them up

Aidan · 22 January 2007, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavecrosschris

THIEF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa5KJ5C-QP8

More like borrowing really, I always wanted to be a pirate!!!!

Aidan · 22 January 2007, 23:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian parkes

It makes me laugh
they can't see the bigger picture
What good is any of that stuff washed up going to be after tonight's weather and a few more tides . it will be spread all over the beaches for miles in a day or two .

the so called thieves are doing everyone a favour in my opinion .

It also makes a change for people to travel from far and wide to clean up the beaches , they spend most of the summer travelling from far and wide to leave thier crap on the beaches

The authorities should encourage the beach combers , they would probably find it the cheapest way to clean up the mess .

why can't the official salvors get there until tomorrow anyway ?

Its like dropping a bag of chips in Polperro then complaining that seaguls have cleaned them up

I agree, besides, the Police got all the good ones!!

wavecrosschris · 23 January 2007, 08:10

Noooo, they're like seagulls! - have you ever watched them attack a bin bag? - they rip it to shreds and then everything gets scattered everywhere - take a look in the papers this morning, there's s**t allover the heritage coast! whereas it would have been nice and sealed inside a big container.

Simon B · 23 January 2007, 08:53

So theres a nice shiney bike needing selling on, how would one register it? Presumably the DVLA will have all the "VIN" numbers if bikes use this system so if you want to ride it here you'll struggle. So it'll have to be got rid of abroad.....best idea would be to collect them all up and put them in a container........

So ride it around illeagally? The police may be on the lookout for them just a thought probably a long shot.

Or last idea, take as much as you can store fill in the paperwork, charge for transport, PPE, unsocial hours, overtime, storage...then wait for the reciver to do their job whilst you claim salvage or whatever it is.

Meanwhile the beach has most of the larger items removed thus reducing clean up costs etc. Ofcourse what is actually illegal here is the bloke in the street getting something good for "free" unlike our poor old MPs who have to slog their guts out night and day playing croquet etc. Just an observation

Jono · 23 January 2007, 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon B

Meanwhile the beach has most of the larger items removed thus reducing clean up costs etc.

So, do you think that those smaller items were not in nice neat and easily handled containers to start with?

The mess is being caused by the scavenging “Seagulls” (Nice analogy WavecrossChris) opening the stuff up and scattering it around in their hunt for “the good stuff”…

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon B

of course what is actually illegal here is the bloke in the street getting something good for "free" unlike our poor old MPs who have to slog their guts out night and day playing croquet etc. Just an observation

There you are driving down to the Beach to do a bit of “salvaging”, with your wife in the car ..when you skid on the Ice and smack into a tree.. the Weather forecast was for Ice, but you thought it would be worth a chance to make a profit…. Unfortunately your wife suffers whiplash, so you go with her to the hospital leaving your car at the side of the road knowing that the Police will look after it… when you get back you see that local youths have opened up the boot of your car and scattered all your personal possession along the road and taken away your laptop and golf clubs from the boot… the Policeman says he’s told the chaps responsible to give you a call in a day or two….They say they’ll return them if you pay out their hourly rate and reimburse then for the trouble they went to prize open your boot in the first place…….

GuyP · 23 January 2007, 10:09

The "seagulls" cannot actually claim ownership of the goods until a year after they have salvaged them. For the first year the official owners can claim the goods back and have to pay a salvage fee to receive it.

Therefore, due to the worth of the goods, I'd suggest salvaging a BMW bike is not worth the effort, as it is most likely to be reclaimed. Where as salvaging perfumes etc, which are much less likely to be reclaimed, is best as after a year (if not reclaimed) they can be sold on quite profitably.