Sickening lifeboat engine theft

SICK thieves left Whitby's inshore lifeboat crippled after stealing its engine.

They smashed the lock on the lifeboat shed in Coates Marine boatyard and stole £8,000 worth of life-saving equipment.

A night sight used by the crew, tri-lights which are fitted to crews helmets, tools, a spare propeller, a first aid bag, five pairs of gloves, a

G.P.S navigator and a mobile phone were also taken.

Also stolen during the break -in on Tuesday night was a Yamaha engine belonging to the yard worth £4,000 and another engine owned by a customer valued at £3,000.
Whitby Lifeboat spokesman Pete Thomson said if there had been a call out after the theft there could have been disastrous consequences.
He said: "Had there been an emergency call then there is the chance that not having this equipment would have put lives at serious risk."
The lifeboat had to have another engine specially delivered on Wednesday morning to ensure that they could operate at full capacity.
"The items stolen are used to save peoples' lives. I can't believe they have been taken," said Mr Thomson a former lifeboat coxwain.
"It makes me wonder what kind of animals would steal a lifeboat engine. It's a despicable act."

Mr Thomson found it particularly upsetting because a lot of people in and around Whitby donate money to help the lifeboat.
"Recently a man raised over £1,200 for the Whitby Lifeboat and then for him to have raised all that money and then to have five times that stolen beggars belief," said Mr Thomson.
"I can't describe how angry I am."
Whitby police believe between 6.30pm on Tuesday and 8am on Wednesday the suspects parked in a road on the opposite side of the railway to Coates Marine. They then crossed the tracks before cutting through the fence at the boat yard and taking two motors from the yard using a wheel barrow to take the equipment back to a waiting van.
The men then forced the padlock on the shed where the inshore lifeboat is housed before making off with the equipment.
The motors are heavy pieces of equipment which would be difficult to lift without help.
William Uppington, managing director of Coates Marine, asked that anyone who is offered any equipment which they think may have come from the robbery to inform the police immediately.
Whitby police would also like anyone who may have seen a van parked in the area or any suspicious activity to contact them on (0845) 6060247.
We will be publishing pictures of some of the equipment stolen on our website and in the Whitby Gazette on Tuesday.

23 November 2006