We saw the stricken cargo ship on TV over the weekend, waiting for it to run aground, yet there was no effective contingency plan to deal with its aftermath.
Instead, police stood by helpless and just watched as greedy scavengers descended on the Devon beach and helped themselves to washed up cargo. Such was their greed that they had no concern whatsoever about warnings to stay away because of the potentially dangerous chemicals on board the ship.
Am I alone in finding it quite extraordinary that hundreds of scavengers can help themselves to BMW motorbikes, engine parts, wine and face creams while police stand by and watch?
The cargo also included personal possessions. One couple were naturally horrified to watch looters help themselves to their belongings which were strewn all over the beach. They were being transported to their new home in South Africa and accused police of not doing more to stop scavengers.
It was only this morning that police closed the road leading to the beach in Branscombe to deter treasure seekers and to allow contractors start clearing away substantial amounts of debris.
I know this is a tricky situation legally, but it should have been thrashed out much sooner by the police and the Acting Receiver of Wreck to agree on a course of action.
The law on salvage states that people who salvage goods from a wreck have common law right to a reward in return for their booty, unlike those who loot an overturned lorry on the highway.
Under maritime law, they are regarded as removing the wrecked goods for protection and safekeeping and are rewarded for that. An individual who finds goods must make a report to the Receiver of Wreck within 28 days. Under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 it is not a crime to recover jetsam (items washed up by the sea) but it is illegal to fail to declare it or refuse to surrender it when asked. Anyone who does not return the goods after being asked to do so can be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500.
However, it was obvious in this case that a “free for all” was taking place that should have been stopped. Some of the items plundered from the container ship have already been listed on the internet auction website eBay.
No doubt the police and other agencies were caught off guard by the way the beach was swamped by scavengers, perhaps they anticipated just a few sightseers.
I wonder how many of these looters will declare their haul, what about those photographed in today’s press with the motorbike? What action do you think the police should have taken in these circumstances? Were their hands tied?
Ellee, I’m just surprised you are surprised! I would only have been shocked if no-one had tried to help themselves!
Don’t forget that even blitzed houses were looted during the war…
Snafu, I’m not surprised, just amazed that the police stand by and do nothing?
Appalling, isn’t it? I can understand looting when people are desperate, such as many were in the New Orleans flood but those pictures were just sickening. I hope someone from the police comments, Ellee, to perhaps explain their inaction.
I think a bit of Whisky Galore fever set in here, maybe due to a poplar misconception that anything found on the beach is ‘fair game’!
Maybe I am being thick- but how exactly would you register one of those bikes? Surely they have numbers engraved on them like cars – and surely they are logged so BMW know which ones havebeen “lost”. I wonder if anyone caught flogging them will be prosecuted?
My recent experience one ebay getting rid of some of my stuff is that some people really do want something for nothing. Quite sad really.
If and when the oil slick hits the beach it will be interesting to see how many of the looters will be happy to clean the beach of that!
Let’s not forget that the police service is now cripled by political interference, targets and paperwork. I suppose that if they had been given 6 months notice new targets and the relevant paperwork could have been drawn up to tackle this incident.
I was amused to see a senior policeman interviewed on TV tonight who criticised the looters because they were increasing the environmental impact of the catastrophe by breaking open more of the containers. What a crazy argument – no mention of theft, personal honesty, etc. just an appeal to the thieves be environmentally friendly.
John, Those are my concerns too, how can they prepare for an emergency like this when they have to work the way they do?
And what do those looters demonstrate about our society? Pure opportunitism and greed. How many of them will return to help clear up the mess and care for the environment. The law says they are not strictly being dishonest in this case, this law needs scrutinising and bringing up to date, that’s why the police were powerless.
With our weird laws, as it is a public beach, people cannot be stopped. All the police can do is give them forms to fill in so they can declare their goods to maritime….as if they will!
How dull of you all,
Lets just watch it rot on the beach instead.
Etzel, what a horrid thought.
Amongst all of these containers washed up on the beach are those containing the personal belongings of people who are emigrating. The “collecting” of these peoples personal items, including family photos is a more than a bit over the top.
Much of the others items including the motorbikes will be getting claimed for on insurance policies. many of the personal pieces will be irreplacable to those who have lost them, and seeing total stranges sifting through them will be even worse.
I think what people need to understand how much a part of traditional West Country life pillaging wrecks is. It is a time honoured custom, dating back to earliest antiquity, one which suffered greatly at the hands of recent attempts to curtail it.
The wreckers of the scilly isles can boast that it was they, not any foreign pirate, that sunk the flagship of Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Admiral of the fleet, and killed him for his rings as he swam ashore.
Should not such ancient traditions be respected?
Buster,
On reading a report of a fmaily who were seeing their belongings stolen, I had your reaction.
However, in reflection their goods were lost with the ship and washed up on a beach where they would have stayed until washed out to sea again. The chances of them getting anything back were infitesimal.
I understand their annoyance, but their things were lost anyway to them. The people on the beach are looters and I am glad the police have stepped in, still the things recovered by the receivers will not really reach their owners. They wil all be compensated in cash as always.
It has not been unknown for the police to fill up the boots of police cars when shops are burgled and they arrive on the scene to investigate. And, when lorries shed their load after a crash. It has been said that one person’s misfortune is another fortune. This seems to be the case here. At least they did not shipwreck it deliberately for the cargo as has happened in the past.
Would you like the police to just invent new laws as they see fit? I think that’s what’s called a police state. It’s hard to believe that you quoted the appropriate law above, but then expect the police to apply another one.
I must say this all struck me as a non story. People pick up stuff lying around , shock horror.I imagine the police thought it was more trouble than it was worth to try pto protect a large area full of booty for weeks . What sort of manpower would that take and really , whats the point.
It was a leader in the nationals as well.Why ? I wonder if Ellee is going to deal with the Churches opposition to gay adoption. It may be tricky for her to maintain her friendly neutrality …as it always is in the end
Hope so , what about about some raw meat Ellee? BTW there are pictures of me ..(ugh) in the aaaaaaarchivesof my blog . October I think)
I wouldn’t dream of touching what is obviously someone else’s stuff, whether washed up on a beach or not, or ruined by the seawater or not.
So I think the seaside looters are scum.
Enjoyed a lot! »