Our scaffolding was stolen - word of warning

[muffins78]

Hi, I posted on Monday regarding scaffolding without providing any detail, in case the police would rather I didn't.

Our scaffolding was stolen on Monday, in broad daylight, around midday/lunchtime, at the Forest Hill end of Underhill Road. Just in case anyone saw any scaffolders making a lot of noise, breaking things and removing scaffolding from a house?!?

We were completely shocked and our scaffolder was quite upset naturally - they are expensive materials.

We didn't have an alarm at the time, as we had been told that they are sensitive - but given what happened on Monday, I wish we had installed it from the beginning.

Also, just make sure if your builders are not going to be around on any given day, that someone knows and is there to watch things.

Apparently this isn't uncommon!

If anyone has CCTV around the lower end of Underhill or the surrounding roads, we'd really appreciate if you could check Mondays footage for a scaffolding truck/van, two to three people - I don't have a colour of the truck - but they were up to no good around lunch time.

They also caused damage to our property.

If anyone has had scaffolding completed on Monday/Tuesday or even today, I am not saying you have stolen scaffolding, but if you are willing to allow our scaffolders to have a look around that would be amazing. They have driven around the area but no luck. They have the scaffolding tagged so its quite easily identifiable.

Thanks for any help - and hopefully it helps you out with your building works!!

[peckham_ryu]

An uncharitable and prejudiced cynic would wonder if our temporary neighbours at the Dulwich Hospital site happen to be storing any scaffolding materials there at the moment.

( **reaches for tin hat** )

[uncleglen]

it is well known that scrap metal collection is a lucrative business...

[muffins78]

I have no idea - except it wasn't metal collecting, as ive left metal post box things outside for anyone to take - no-one has!!

It was a mixture of the poles and the wooden things that was taken!!

[redjam]

peckham_ryu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> An uncharitable and prejudiced cynic would wonder

> if our temporary neighbours at the Dulwich

> Hospital site happen to be storing any scaffolding

> materials there at the moment.

>

> ( **reaches for tin hat** )

Wow. I think the most depressing thing about this post is not the unsupported accusation, based on nothing more than petty prejudice, it's the weaselly way in which it's written in the third person, like saying something mean and then running away. 'An uncharitable and prejudiced cynic...' That'll be you then, peckham_ryu?

Muffins78, I hope you get your scaffolding back.

[Sue]

redjam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> peckham_ryu Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > An uncharitable and prejudiced cynic would

> wonder

> > if our temporary neighbours at the Dulwich

> > Hospital site happen to be storing any

> scaffolding

> > materials there at the moment.

> >

> > ( **reaches for tin hat** )

>

> Wow. I think the most depressing thing about this

> post is not the unsupported accusation, based on

> nothing more than petty prejudice, it's the

> weaselly way in which it's written in the third

> person, like saying something mean and then

> running away. 'An uncharitable and prejudiced

> cynic...' That'll be you then, peckham_ryu?

>

> Muffins78, I hope you get your scaffolding back.

Agree with all that.

A nasty post based on no evidence whatsoever.

[peckham_ryu]

Despite all the opprobrium, I would still check that the local police have been specifically briefed today on what markings to look out for. And I'm sorry that this offends right-minded citizens - but I do mean specifically the police attending the site today.

Strangers come to town; construction and scrap are both staples of itinerant work; scaffolding is stolen. That might be a case of "two plus two equals five", but then again it might not. I'm suggesting suspicion, not marching with pitchforks. However, if life has not made you so cynical, then good for you really.

(I hope you find my antizaganistic aspersions today framed in less craven forms of grammar. Far be it from me to induce a Subjunctive Mood disorder.)

(Edited for typos)

[Sue]

The OP says "apparently this isn't uncommon".

The people who you are indirectly accusing have only just arrived in the area.

Edited to correct my misremembering the quote.

[JohnL]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> redjam Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > peckham_ryu Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > An uncharitable and prejudiced cynic would

> > wonder

> > > if our temporary neighbours at the Dulwich

> > > Hospital site happen to be storing any

> > scaffolding

> > > materials there at the moment.

> > >

> > > ( **reaches for tin hat** )

> >

> > Wow. I think the most depressing thing about

> this

> > post is not the unsupported accusation, based

> on

> > nothing more than petty prejudice, it's the

> > weaselly way in which it's written in the third

> > person, like saying something mean and then

> > running away. 'An uncharitable and prejudiced

> > cynic...' That'll be you then, peckham_ryu?

> >

> > Muffins78, I hope you get your scaffolding

> back.

>

>

> Agree with all that.

>

> A nasty post based on no evidence whatsoever.

Not that the PM isn't encouraging this mind.

[Sandberg1860]

Always have a scaffold alarm. Not just for your own security, but for neighbours as well.

Very sorry to hear that this scaffolding was stolen. For this to occur you would need a few people that generally understand how these things are constructed and deconstructed. I doubt that the thieves would have put their own lives at risk and so would have had to dismantle in the correct sequence. If they hadn't you probably would have arrived home to a collapsed scaffold.

Personally i'd point the finger at other scaffolding firms, or people that work for a scaffolding company looking to make a bit of extra cash on the side.

[edcam]

peckham_ryu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Despite all the opprobrium, I would still check

> that the local police have been specifically

> briefed today on what markings to look out for.

> And I'm sorry that this offends right-minded

> citizens - but I do mean specifically the police

> attending the site today.

>

> Strangers come to town; construction and scrap are

> both staples of itinerant work; scaffolding is

> stolen. That might be a case of "two plus two

> equals five", but then again it might not. I'm

> suggesting suspicion, not marching with

> pitchforks. However, if life has not made you so

> cynical, then good for you really.

>

> (I hope you find my antizaganistic aspersions

> today framed in less craven forms of grammar. Far

> be it from me to induce a Subjunctive Mood

> disorder.)

>

> (Edited for typos)

Perhaps you'd be wise to keep your thoughts to yourself unless you've collected some evidence that you have yet to present.

[chrisbeach]

peckham_ryu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Strangers come to town; construction and scrap are

> both staples of itinerant work; scaffolding is

> stolen. That might be a case of "two plus two

> equals five", but then again it might not. I'm

> suggesting suspicion, not marching with

> pitchforks.

I'm with you, peckham_ryu. No smoke without fire, and the police should investigate suspects in order of statistical likelihood. Not in random order. With finite police resources, decisions have to be data-driven.

Reported by the BBC:

[Labour] Home Secretary Jack Straw has continued to insist that many travellers commit crimes.

Mr Straw also told the BBC the public supported him because what he said was true.

Speaking on BBC Radio Two's The Jimmy Young Show Mr Straw cited a "wonderful" interview he had heard on the radio which proved his point.

He said: "A gypsy - I think he described himself as a gypsy - was asked about the allegations that they committed crime and he said `Yes, we do'.

"He said, `We are better in terms of family life than the rest of the population' but he said `It's true, we are thieves and we need to sort this out' - I rest my case," Mr Straw added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/428915.stm

[red devil]

The Jimmy Young Show?...1999?...there's no stereotype like an old stereotype

[chrisbeach]

Do you have any evidence to suggest Jack Straw was wrong then, or now?

[Chick]

> Reported by the BBC:

>

> Home Secretary Jack Straw has continued to insist

> that many travellers commit crimes.

> Mr Straw also told the BBC the public supported

> him because what he said was true.

>

> Speaking on BBC Radio Two's The Jimmy Young Show

> Mr Straw cited a "wonderful" interview he had

> heard on the radio which proved his point.

This would be the same Mr Straw who supported invading Iraq because of the weapons of mass destruction??????

[Mark]

So this means that chrisbeach is actually the "uncharitable and prejudiced cynic" peckham_ryu referred to.

And just a reminder that Jack Straw was a politician and many politicians have committed crimes*. I'm not saying he's a criminal but they have committed crimes.

Edited to add: Sorry to hear about the theft muffins78, my original point was going to be keep an eye on Gumtree.com for scaffold.

*http://www.channel4.com/news/out-of-order-politicians-who-ended-up-behind-bars

[adonirum]

Have any of the posters on this thread ever engaged with the traveller community, either personally or professionally?

[red devil]

chrisbeach Wrote:

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> Do you have any evidence to suggest Jack Straw was

> wrong then, or now?

He quoted one bloke's opinion in order to castigate a whole section of society. That's wrong...

[teddyboy23]

200 

Edited January 19 by teddyboy23

[Sue]

adonirum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Have any of the posters on this thread ever

> engaged with the traveller community, either

> personally or professionally?

I have a friend who is an Irish traveller.

He is very bitter about the way in which his community has been treated, and also about how its members are often portrayed.

Of course some travellers are thieves. So are some members of most other groups. They just commit different kinds of theft, like fraud and false accounting.

[rendelharris]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Of course some travellers are thieves. So are some

> members of most other groups. They just commit

> different kinds of theft, like fraud and false

> accounting.

Nail. Head. Wallop.

[*Bob*]

This particular - albeit small - section of the travelling community have done their bit to chip away at persistent and unfortunate stereotyping.. by flytipping a load of shit and buggering off.

[muffins78]

I am only catching up on the thread now - and yes the police will know about the markings etc..

I'm not happy about any finger pointing in the sense of the travelling community.

Every group/community etc have the same problems, as well as many great and positive attributes.. I don't specifically know any traveller family, but I do know people who do, and know them very well. They have nothing but high praise for them and the respect they show to this person and his business. And I am certain, no mind him saying this himself, they are more respectful after they use his services and go beyond the call of duty, where other groups/communities don't do anything at all in the same situation.

I'm sorry if I am vague, but its true in its capacity. He won't be unfamiliar in his role on the tv programme they did on C4 or C5 about the travelling community.

Thanks for any feedback regarding the scaffolding and just make sure yours is safe :)

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

chrisbeach Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> peckham_ryu Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Strangers come to town; construction and scrap

> are

> > both staples of itinerant work; scaffolding is

> > stolen. That might be a case of "two plus two

> > equals five", but then again it might not. I'm

> > suggesting suspicion, not marching with

> > pitchforks.

>

> "I rest my case," Mr Straw added.

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/428915.stm

Almost 20 years ago a bloke on the radio half-heard some other bloke on the radio say something and that proves something?

[Loz]

Sandberg1860 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Personally i'd point the finger at other scaffolding firms, or people that work for a

> scaffolding company looking to make a bit of extra cash on the side.

I really can't believe that this outrageous slur against the scaffolding community has gone unchallenged.