Stolen front gate

[Barnabus]

My patents front gate was stolen last Friday. My dad put out an old radiator outside of the front wall in the morning, so that it could be collected for scrap. By the afternoon, both the radiator and the front gate had gone! He reported this to the police as we worried this could be a new trend in the area.

It was a iron gate and was most likely original to the Victorian terrace. My dad was so annoyed, he was determined to get it back. He searched local reclamation yards and low and behold, found it today in Lewisham! I just wanted to share this as a warning to others.

[Willard]

Some people are just unhinged.

[The Minkey]

Wow, that was cheeky. Glad he got it back.

[Penguin68]

You need to make sure (if you can) that your gate is hinged so that it cannot simply be lifted out of its hinges - often that means reversing the hanging pins so that the top pin is screwed into place 'upside down' once the gate is placed into the bottom pin. This does mean that the weight of the gate rests solely on the bottom hinge-pin - which is mechanically less sound than it resting on bottom and top, but is it more secure against casual theft. It also makes it more awkward for maintenance/ repainting (it has to be painted in situ or unscrewed). If the whole fitment is cast-iron of course you are a bit stuck. But pins screwed in to a wooden post are manageable.

[DulwichFox]

I saw someone Slealing a gate...

Did not want to say anything..

Thought they might take a fence

Fox.

[Lowlander]

What did the lewisham yard say? Did you get it back without paying, and did they have any record of where they got it from?

Congrats on getting it back!

[the-e-dealer]

I saw someone taking a front gate.

I didn't like to say anything in case they were unhinged!

[Barnabus]

My dad didn't want to let on that it was stolen and blow his cover! Unfortunately that meant he had to pay for it. The police have been told and said that was the right thing to do. They said lewisham police will be paying them a visit.

[Barnabus]

Thanks for the advice penguin68. I think my dad is going to try to do this, though the pins are built into the wall so it will be quite tricky!

[Willard]

Too late mate, beat you to it with the unhinged pun I'm afraid.

the-e-dealer Wrote:

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

> I saw someone taking a front gate.

>

> I didn't like to say anything in case they were

> unhinged!

[KidKruger]

Barnabus: "Thanks for the advice penguin68. I think my dad is going to try to do this, though the pins are built into the wall so it will be quite tricky!"

Get someone to weld a couple of heavy steel washers to the hinge pins so the gate cannot be lifted off. This is what I did to prevent my gate getting knicked a while back (after it had been nicked and propped up in someone's front door frame, up the road). You can paint over the workin same colour as gate.

[D_Little]

Our front gate was also stolen, its just amazing that someone had the cheek to do that. Its been there for over 60 years!

[Barnabus]

Was that recently? Maybe it's the same culprit? It's the cheek of it that annoyed us so much too!

[northlondoner]

Gate theft? Seems like an open and shut case.

[Salsaboy]

More people seem to be latching onto it.

[reeko]

Completely scandalous. The title should be Gategate.

[the-e-dealer]

I wouldnt get over WROUGHT IRONic that it has happened twice.

[the-e-dealer]

Fork Handles anybody?

[Sue]

reeko Wrote:

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

> Completely scandalous. The title should be

> Gategate.

xxxxxxx

:)) :)) :))

[Willard]

This area's going down hill. I might move to a gated community.

[lousmith]

My Neighbour recently had their iron front gate stolen too!

[the-e-dealer]

I saw a man walking with a strange gate.

[Ramona]

I had my gate stolen 2 weeks ago. I had read of EDF that someone had suffered the same fate, the information given as to where it was found was interesting. I followed up this information and yo and behold I found my gate in the same place.

ALADDINS CAVE on Loampits Hill SE13. London Borough of Lewisham. The police were no help. I bought my gate back at the grand price of ?75.00. Can you imagine paying for something that belongs to you. I would advise that anyone who has had anything stolen to visit that establishment. They are more than likely to find their possessions there.

[Barnabus]

So it wasn't a one off then! They must know that these gates are stolen if they are getting regular deliveries of them!

Im glad you got it back, but it is a disgrace having to buy back your own goods, and support the business that is at least responsible for the theft! I have bought things in there in the past, but after this I will be avoiding them. I felt a little sick wondering if I had in fact been buying other people's stolen goods. Are all their garden ornaments stolen from front gardens for example?

Did you tell the police where you found your gate? I know this is classed as petty theft, but after the Barbara Hepworth sculpture being stolen from Dulwich park, you would imagine that leads such as this would be useful in helping to catch such shameless thieves!

[tiddles]

surely they can be done for receiving stolen goods??