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General => The Shed => Topic started by: ceres on March 11, 2009, 08:51:24

Title: Arson
Post by: ceres on March 11, 2009, 08:51:24
The building on our site (a former stable block) was hit by arsonists last night and has been completely destroyed.  We've lost our cafe, the shop stock, lock-ups, communal tools, site records etc. etc.  Gutted  :'(
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: betula on March 11, 2009, 08:57:56
So very sorry Ceres,yet another mindless act by scum. >:(
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: asbean on March 11, 2009, 09:04:13
Sods.  I do hope they get caught - otherwise they'll do it again somewhere else.  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: ceres on March 11, 2009, 09:05:46
Thanks betula and asbean.  We can't get in to see if anything is salvageable until forensics have finished.

It's been a horrid 2 days.  10 days ago we got a skip on site.  When it was full we called the company to take it away and they sent a lorry which got stuck in soft ground where the skip was parked.  It had to be towed off, leaving the skip behind.  The company said they would wait until the ground had dried out before trying again but turned up yesterday morning after the heavy rain on Sunday night  ???  The lorry got stuck again, worse this time so they sent a second lorry which also got badly stuck.  It took 4 hours of them pushing and pulling each other with chains and strops and the skip arms to get out but in the process they complelety ploughed up our communal area, one of our roads and a plot.

Just waiting for the third disaster  :(
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: daileg on March 11, 2009, 09:12:14
sorry to hear ceres the little blighters will have there day I'm a believer every dog has his day you might not see it or hear about it just hope who ever did it is over 15 or you will stand no chance of getting a conviction as the rules dont allow justice to be served on a minor unless its considered to be prolific offender otherwise a comunity order is all what will be given
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: saddad on March 11, 2009, 09:13:24
Sorry to hear about that Ceres..  :(
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: littlebabybird on March 11, 2009, 09:44:52
Ceres  I'm so sorry
lbb
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: thifasmom on March 11, 2009, 10:00:19
i am very sorry to hear of this, wish you all at you plot happier days, and the bast**ds that did this i wish them a public whipping.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Barnowl on March 11, 2009, 12:29:08
Very sorry to hear about this Ceres.



Title: Re: Arson
Post by: caroline7758 on March 11, 2009, 16:57:40
That's horrible news, Ceres. have you got any insurance?
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: ceres on March 11, 2009, 18:38:40
Thanks all.  Been there all day waiting for SOCO to finish and let us make the site safe.  Will post more later - have had nothing to eat all day and have a blinding headache so will sort myself out first.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Sinbad7 on March 11, 2009, 18:44:20
I'm so sorry Ceres, a normal break-in, damage is bad enough and leaves a bad taste in your mouth.  I dread to think how you must be feeling.

Take care,

Sinbad
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Hyacinth on March 11, 2009, 18:49:52
Echoing all the feelings peeps have expressed about this mindless arson/vandalism. :'(

It's done! Hope that you and the others are pulling together & comforting each other & hope you sleep well tonite. Nothing more you can do....b****rds have alread done it, haven't they?

So, tomorrow's another day....time to re-group..

All the v.v.v. best, Lishka X
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: ceres on March 11, 2009, 20:01:06
It's really nice to have support from other like-minded people, thanks everyone.

Not only did we have the fire, but shed were broken into too, mine included.  10 we've found so far, there will be more.

A police helicopter was going back to base at 3am when they spotted flames en route.  They thought it was the cricket club that we back onto, so called the fire brigade to the club.  When they got there, they realised it was the other side of a 10 foot brick wall, so they fought the fire from there to save the cricket club.  Our chairman got a call at 4am and when he got to the site the police had just jemmied our main gates and some of the fire brigade arrived.  The roof of our building had burned and collapsed setting fire to the stuff underneath.  Fire investigators were on site in the early hours and then SOCO turned up mid-morning.  SOCO think the fire started in the roof, they found new beer cans in the guttering, including one unopened can!  One wall of the building has collapsed, we're getting a surveyor tomorrow to assess the safety of the remainder.

3 plotholders have lost all their tools. the wall collapsed onto the plot of one chap who has lost all his tools so a double whammy.  All the stock for the shop and all the cafe equipment is gone along with pumps, spare parts, timber, tools, you name it.......  And our 'office' papers were kept in there too so all our inspection files, the day book, receipt books etc. etc.

But people are being amazing.  We've had lots of offers of help today and the volunteers who run the cafe are meeting tonight and are determined the cafe will be open for business as usual on Sunday morning in a tent.

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Title: Re: Arson
Post by: betula on March 11, 2009, 20:11:30
Wished you lived closer,would have come and helped clear up.

Well done to everybody for pulling together. :)
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Hyacinth on March 11, 2009, 20:26:06
Quote from: betula on March 11, 2009, 20:11:30


Well done to everybody for pulling together. :)

Including the p'lice and Emergency Services :)

well done, everybody

Title: Re: Arson
Post by: pippy on March 11, 2009, 20:39:55
You know, they say what doen't kill you makes you stronger Ceres.  So sorry to hear you are having such a rotten run of things .... I was going to say of luck, but I guess it's not luck at all - just thugs :(

Hope you all pick up and pull together for a fab year - it sounds like you have a great team there.  Hope they get the thugs who did it too ... >:( >:(

Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Flighty on March 11, 2009, 20:44:16
That must be so disheartening! My sympathies.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Tin Shed on March 11, 2009, 20:44:28
So sorry to hear about your site, Ceres. Having had one shed burnt down in the past as well as all our communal areas torched many years ago  I know what it feels like. :-[
We are in the middle of another vandalism phase on our site at the moment  - 40 sheds broken over the last few days and about 20+ in the couple of weeks prior to that - and of course not forgetting the graffiti 'artists......
Anyway, we carry on - we are not going to let the little charmers win.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: kt. on March 11, 2009, 20:57:53
Not good news.  Hopefully things will work out for you all.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: tonybloke on March 12, 2009, 09:02:42
very sorry to hear all this ceres, my heart - felt sympathy goes out to all of your plot holders, hope the police have success in their efforts to catch the 'little darlings', glad to hear the shop etc will be opening in a tent, don't let the barst*rds win!!
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: ceres on March 12, 2009, 19:06:13
Thanks everyone.  Spent today pulling down all the loose unsafe timbers, slates, beams, bricks etc.  Filthy, smelly, horrid work.  Anyone it's now as safe as we can make it until we figure out what to do next.

I discovered today that there is an item missing from my shed so went walkabout to see if it had been discarded anywhere.  Stumbled on a rather nasty weapon where the arsonists had exited the site.  It was CID and SOCO who did the work on the fire and they weren't interested in the shed break-ins so I called mine in myself today and then called back when I found what I found.  They're interested now!  Sent two officers today to take details and forensics tomorrow.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: betula on March 12, 2009, 19:13:30
Hope they can find finger prints.

Pity you can't offer a reward for information,may bring some news who did this.This is serious stuff. :(
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Trevor_D on March 12, 2009, 19:18:21
Sorry to hear about this.

If you want any help, just ask.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: shirlton on March 12, 2009, 19:24:20
So sorry that this has happened to you Ceres. would have seen the post before but having to use Tones laptop and don't like it much. Its a rotten feeling when scum like this attack. I do hope that you all get over this very soon. We all seem absolutely helpless against these thugs. Police have their hands tied too. Too many bluddy do gooders around to get any justice
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Sparkly on March 12, 2009, 19:40:49
Sorry to hear this. Hope the offenders are caught. What weapon did you find?
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: tonybloke on March 12, 2009, 21:33:35
the police seem to have a policy of not catching burglars, if they caught them, crime figures / rates would fall, and so would the police budget!!  ;)

They even turned up at my mates 'pooter shop / repair workshop with the sirens blaring to scare the burglars off when he 'phoned to report some-one on his roof early one morning (he often works late fixing 'pooters)
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: Jeanbean on March 13, 2009, 07:40:46
Just read the posting. So very sorry that you hand your fellow plotters have suffered such a terrible disaster. You must all be feeling pretty low. From your posting you seem to be a positive bunch and are managing to pick up the pieces. Why, oh why do some people act in this way? They sure have no repsect for anyone or anything. I think this is a strong case for bringing back National Service to teach the little 'darlings' right and wrong.
Wishing you all the very best and hope that things start to look up for you all. As for the police, they are usually a bit busy honing in on unsuspecting motorists where they can claw in the fines. Probably a bit unkind, but real crime that needs sorting appears to take a back seat.
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: telboy on March 13, 2009, 18:18:45
Sickening - only word for it.
Our best wishes for the future!
Title: Re: Arson
Post by: flossy on March 13, 2009, 18:55:09


   Can't tell you how sorry and sad I feel,  this sort of crime has no meaning !  What do they

   get from it   ---   a drug fuled  ' jolly ',   

   When they catch them , and I really hope they do  --   the police  should bring them down to

   face you and hopefully will feel the full extent of your misery at thier hands.

   So sorry to hear this ceres,  wished I lived nearer and could help,

  floss xxx