Suspicious Or What (1 Viewer)

[buttons]

Whilst you are probably right on most occasions, I suspect that often they are just casing the place up as they casually ask you questions. Our local school caretaker had the exact thing happen to him. A man of Irish descent asked if he wanted to sell his caravan, which. ironically was around the back of the school and couldn't be seen unless someone had been poking around. He replied..No and that night 2 fence panels were removed along with the wheel clamp and chains, hitched it up......never to be seen again.

We are inundated with "travellers" of all sorts this time of year here in Dorset. Many are honest and hard-working and I also have several friends who are of Romany descent so I am not talking out of my orifice. Currently we have around 3 illegal encampments on public carparks and open spaces. They were all entered illegally. Our local council have kindly supplied skips and toilets whilst they go to court to get orders for them to leave.....this happens every single year just before the Steam Fair and Summer holidays.When they finally leave it costs thousands to clear up the s**t that wasn't put in the skips or toilets.

With this in mind I would be very sceptical if someone knocked on my door and asked if my van was for sale.

I didn't suggest that all travelers are saints, they have to live and survive on their own initiative and survival instinct. I had a young Irish lad knock on my door yesterday attempting to explain the merits of ridge tiles. Nice young lad who left after a chat with a friendly smile on his face. Dont automatically treat all travelers as the enemy.

 

[Emmit]

I appreciate peoples ability to think well of everyone.
Despite street pounding for thirty years it's my natural inclination as well, BUT;
Itinerants knocking on your door for seemingly honest? purposes are there for one purpose. To note what is there. ie "To case the joint"
Itinerants are opportunists. They survive by 'obtaining' goods and selling them.
N.B. The term Itinerants does not include 'Full Time' motorhomers who have obtained their means of transport and lifestyle by HONEST and TAX PAID labour.

 

[MichelleRyall]

I didn't suggest that all travelers are saints, they have to live and survive on their own initiative and survival instinct. I had a young Irish lad knock on my door yesterday attempting to explain the merits of ridge tiles. Nice young lad who left after a chat with a friendly smile on his face. Dont automatically treat all travelers as the enemy.

As I said at the end of my post, I have several friends from the travelling fraternity and went to school with many more. Most are genuine and honest but the rest.......not so much.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Scattycat]

They knock on your door if you answer then they ask if you want to sell it, if you don't answer they assume nobody is at home and then their mates come along and steal it!
Simples, it happened to our friends, the place was only empty for 10 minutes and their caravan was stolen, despite having a couple of wheel locks, tow bar lock and having the gates locked

 

[Paddywack]

As I said at the end of my post, I have several friends from the travelling fraternity and went to school with many more. Most are genuine and honest but the rest.......not so much.

And is that not the same as the rest of society?

 

[MichelleRyall]

And is that not the same as the rest of society?

Quite possibly, sadly, however the rest of society don't tend to park up for free in large intimidating groups after having broken padlocks and taken gates off hinges. I like to be optimistic whenever possible but after years of having no go areas where I can't take my children because of the dogs mess, litter and threatening behaviour by some protected groups of society I can get a bit cup half empty at times. This is obviously my personal view from my little part of the country but it is my perspective and the more unpleasant factions of the travelling society are a menace here at this moment.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Sphgmo]

Also has someone call one Sunday morning a few months ago. Asked if we wanted to sell the motorcaravan.
Got a steering wheel lock on ours which is clearly visible.
Travellers are back in Worthing again this week. Not far from the area where there have been lots of complaints about "permanent" wild campers. Understand the Council are going to bring in "No overnight parking" rules.

 

[GAVLAD]

I had the same last year with my VW camper van. Usually kept in storage, I had it on the drive to do a little job and up pulls a pick up truck with a father & son combo of our travelling friends. Father - just couldn't understand him - he looked and sounded like the old pi##ed up guy in father ted. Son said I want you van, tell me how much? I said it's not for sale. He said well if it was fir sale, how much?
This kept on going until I walked away. Needless to say I finished the job off back at storage and endured the tracker was working. I reported the pick up truck's number plate to my local neighbourhood policing team who in turn advised me that the vehicle reg didn't match the pick up make & model!

 

[Cat53]

That's the trouble with having van out front on view...Out of sight out of mind

Not strictly true. Neighbours of mine had their Motorhome stolen from behind their house. You couldn't see it from the front at all. Thieves snuck in during the night without waking any of the slumbering neighbours. The owners were away. It was all a bit odd as the owners had hosted a party the Saturday, went away on the Sunday and van was stolen that night. Managed to bring it round the house and down a long gravel driveway without disturbing either neighbour.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rosalan]

A 'travelling' man came round the back of my home, past our 4 week old (to us) motorhome and stood talking to me with a handful of leaflets trying to sell me block paving, which we already had and he was standing on. I sent him away. The following day our van went forever! Smashed in the back door and found the keys while we were both away.

 

[Sphgmo]

We were staying at the Camping Club site at Blackmore a few years ago when a caravan parked on the pitch opposite us was stolen overnight. (Seasonal pitch I guess)
All that was left on the pitch were those odds and ends, ramps, wooden blocks etc. that are usually around a caravan.
We had not heard anything.
The Holiday Site Manager was puzzled how the thieves had done it as the gates were locked overnight.

 

[Bren]

There were lots of gypsy in Campervans moved on from a new road going no where in whitfield Dover , maybe their changing over to Campervans and trying to get ones on the cheap ??

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jackyboy61]

My moto is trust no one ,if you are unsure about anything or anybody take photos of the person and the vehicle that's around and report to the police .All thieves are opportunists so make it difficult for them in any way possible.

 

[Glyndavt]

The Itinerant might be rogue all is true, some however have a genuine hook up to MH sales people and can earn a good living lining up sales for them. I sold my old bambi last year using just this method and was very pleased with my sale price! They tend to make you a silly offer and if they get nowhere refer you to thier used MHRetailer who pops along and makes you a proper offer

 

[Gorse Hill]

Travellers are back in Worthing again this week. Understand the Council are going to bring in "No overnight parking" rules.

That should stop them

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[diycamper]

today I had m/home parked on road in front of house and a guy knocked on house door to ask if I would be prepared to sell my camper,he had a strong irish accent ,saying it was w what he wanted etc,he said he was from leeds 20 miles away and was touring around looking for vans and wanted mine. when told it was not for sale a car drew up and he left, I got a pic of car and reg. camper now on drive ,immobilised alarmed and blocked in with car ,guess where in sleeping for the next few nights and will inform police in morning . worrying times eh

not such a worry they do that but they'll try getting it for far less than its worth - they sell em on knowing there a popular thing to buy

 

[diycamper]

I speak from my own experience! I have had one caravan and one trailer plus several bikes stolen from me plus being burgled twice in my 44 years here with the last time taking keys and my car to transport my stuff away,
From my experience they are scum of the earth!!! Parasites feeding of the hard working people!!

did you think to make your property more secure - seems yourself is to blame for making it easy

 

[diycamper]

You have probably been marked as well.

An innocent looking chalk mark on garden wall or pavement outside your house.

Says "heres one worth stealing" to the follow on gang.

you've been reading to many stories

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jaws]

you've been reading to many stories

Not really.. As one branch of my immediate family are Romany I know a lot of the stuff the tinkers get up to ( who are deeply disliked and not trusted by the Romany community as well )
Chalk marks are often used to mark all sorts.. I used to know a fair few of them but can only remember one now.. the 'this road has been checked out' one, which is like a hash with one bar missing

 

[ivorantony]

did you think to make your property more secure - seems yourself is to blame for making it easy

That's very easy to say! I have lived here 44 years and like the area but my council in there infinite wisdom established a Itinerant site about 2 miles from me about 30 years ago, I know it's a easy to say it but since then we have a constant run of thieving,
They constantly drive around slowly looking for possible targets and unfortunately my number has come up a few times,
I have a burglar alarm,extra locks,chains and so forth but why the hell should I? It's my property that I have worked hard for many a year! I stand by my previous statement, they are scum of the earth!

I could move away! But why the hell should I? I like it here, it's just a thieving minority feeding of honest working people,
Last year I decided to take the family to Aachen for the Christmas market, on arriving at the aire we noticed a good number of Irish travellers were on site, they had monopolise most of the electric points using washing machines/ spin dryer and electric heaters,

We only stayed two nights due to the unruly social behaviour they were showing to everybody including the police that we're call twice in the time we were there,
The aire owner took over a month to get them to move without payment of any kind with a clean up bill after they left,
This was his busiest time of the year that cost him dearly,
By any definition they are Parasites in my book,

And just in case you think I am being anti Irish! I am married to a Dublin girl now going on 45 years,

 

[newlifedriver]

That is for dogs with the marking

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[newlifedriver]

You get wrongens in every race but to make out all.travelers are the same most can not tell the difference between travelers Irish or other tinkers Itinerants (as you call them even though it's a racist term ) I'm a fairground traveler are you calling it to me even though you don't no me I'm married to a gypsy that has not committed a crime in her life so you still think it's ok to call my wife scum I think it say more of you than us

 

[TheBig1]

That is for dogs with the marking

and anything else worth stealing

google Itinerant chalk marks for a rough idea. there are many standard ones used and some only used by particular groups

 

[Paddywack]

google Itinerant chalk marks for a rough idea. there are many standard ones used and some only used by particular groups

Yeah and why you are at it google "moon landings faked" and any other urban myth deserving spreading further.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[JJ]

Welcome to Fun, Mr diycamper...


JJ

 

[TheBig1]

Yeah and why you are at it google "moon landings faked" and any other urban myth deserving spreading further.

if you believe marking is a myth, good luck to you

As for the idea that all travellers are thieves and scum, not at all. My grandmother was a real Romany and the difference is obvious

 

[Puddleduck]

I am of Romany heritage as well - and my nephew is engaged to a beautiful Roma lady. I also used to work for a Roma family, some of whom traveled and some who had settled.

Good and bad in all communities.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[SAKURA]

Just had someone knock on my door from Diamond Driveways with a up north ascent asking if we wanted to sell our motor home I said no he said just asking, drove away in a van with Diamond Driveways on it .This is just outside Cardiff . Just checked for chalk marks did not see any.

 

[Poohbear]

Yeah and why you are at it google "moon landings faked" and any other urban myth deserving spreading further.

The moon landings were faked so that makes neither of them urban myths.