Danny Hart posted on the Descend Bike Park Facebook page that overnight on Sunday their cabins were broken into and everything taken. He’s provided a …

By stwhannah

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Danny Hart’s Descend Bike Park – Thieves Take ‘Everything’

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Scum.

It’s horrible but obvioulsy one of the major disadvantages of being somewhere so off-grid. You can make as much noise as you like smashing into it and not get caught.

I hope at the very least they get no issues with insurance stuff.

The little bastards, I hope they get back up and running soon!

Why don’t these places have security camera with motion detection? All it needs is power and an internet connection. Although it may take time for police to arrive it should be easy enough to hook up to an alarm.

Why don’t these places have security camera with motion detection? All it needs is power and an internet connection.

well you can spend XX upfront on cctv or you can buy some equipment – unless there is unlimited cash, an insurer insists on it (or discounts heavily for it), or you think it’s likely* someone comes out to a rural location to Nick stuff then it probably doesn’t seem like a good use of funds.

Then you need power 24/7 – not sure if they have that or are on a genny; and internet – which is more monthly running costs. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but if I was putting a container full of this sort of stuff I’m not sure I’d be bothered with the hassle or cost of installing cameras and internet, especially as a good thief would find a way to disable it (like cutting power or the phone line) and even a bad thief probably is smart enough to cover their face and obscure/fake any number plate and be long gone by the time police arrive.

* I think there is a perception that crime in the countryside is low – it’s probably justified, although generators, power tools etc are exactly the sort of stuff that does get stolen.

The fact they took generators suggests they don’t have power and mobile signal up there is not particularly reliable nevermind an internet connection.

Lol. ALARM!

Who’s there to hear it?

Camera? How long does it take to respond if you see something?

Alarms don’t help. Being there helps. (As long as they’re not the sort of criminals to do violence to do you to take your stuff)

No-one is likely to hear it, BUT the scrotes doing the stealing which may make them decide to leg it before getting everything… Camera might also get some decent footage of them and perhaps a conviction..

When the internal alarm went off at our old house it was ear-splittingly loud. At least the buggers would have tinnitus.
And Shirley it’s possible to rig up a battery powered motion activated cameras to gather and store evidence for the Police to use/ignore?

I see they’ve set up a go fund me page – why? This is exactly what their business insurance is for.

That is crap, I feel for them.

The 2nd problem is the thieves, and those who have seen the news, now know that there will be a new stash of tools and kit there before long.

I can’t wait to hear what his dad has to say!

poly
Free Member

well you can spend XX upfront on cctv or you can buy some equipment – unless there is unlimited cash, an insurer insists on it (or discounts heavily for it), or you think it’s likely* someone comes out to a rural location to Nick stuff then it probably doesn’t seem like a good use of funds.

If they’ve got any degree of internet then you can get something like an amazon blink and it’ll send alerts to a mobile. Maybe the police can get there in time, maybe they can’t. Super cheap to set up and free to run though.

GFM page

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-park-get-back-up-running

If they’ve got any degree of internet

They haven’t. As above, barely any phone signal.

I see they’ve set up a go fund me page – why? This is exactly what their business insurance is for.

They, or someone with the surname Hart, haven’t. Someone has on their behalf, I’d be checking they know about it before donating, and then asking the above question.

Insurance won’t cover everything. At the very least there’ll be an excess. Then there’ll be all the sundries it doesn’t cover. Plus having a wedge of cash available means they can get on with replacing the stolen gear before the insurance pays out.

The 2nd problem is the thieves, and those who have seen the news, now know that there will be a new stash of tools and kit there before long.

They had that problem at WindHill, were being hit every 6-8 weeks at one point. When they eventually decided to take the kit away every night and store off-site the scrotes trashed the shop under the start ramp instead, stealing a load of chocolates and RedBull. When they tried again and that wasn’t there they decided to just torch the start ramp. They had the same issue as Decend do for security, off-grid and no phone signal.

We knew the guy that set up the bike hire at Hamsterley (1996 ish). Retired policeman and bikes stored discretely off site – still got cleaned out twice and couldn’t then get viable insurance.

There is a very small minority of people that seem to make this kind of business impossible in certain areas.

Aren’t Bird supposed to be opening a shop at the lower Hamsterley hub?
It’s a bit less remote, but not much. Wonder how they’re going to fare…..

Alarm and cameras !
Anyone who thinks they would be a deterrent and that the police will turn up is living in cloud Cuckoo land.

Camera picks up some blokes with hoodies and masks – Fail
Coppers turn up a few days later to provide a crime number for your insurance – Fail

Aren’t Bird supposed to be opening a shop at the lower Hamsterley hub?

Aye that we are, however it’s waiting on the cell tower finishing in before we drop it in. It will be armour clad, alarm, CCTV & fog system, and all the really good stuff (like bikes) will reside elsewhere overnight, only a minimal amount of stock will live at the store. Most stuff will be sold on a click and collect basis where if you order the day before it will be there in the morning for you. Such is the nature of the location!