1770's MUD CRAB THIEF & SLASHER

[fritzy]

Roz,
That sucks big time mate. How much does it get up ya nose. I suspect it is a problem everywhere. We took a beaut big buck down here in a creek off the maroochy river , so tried the spot a second time. Not just a cut up pot - NO POT at all >. This happened three times on the one week holiday (in different spots on the river)- have not put a pot in the maroochy since [smiley=furious2.gif]. Is it just the one idiot, or is there a whole bunch of lamebrains invading our waterways. > >
Last year found some fella pulling my pot up to his boat in the middle of the day on the Mooloolah river. I'm sure he was about to steal it. Confronted him - gave him a right mouthful - told him i would get the old man and the cops involved. > > The minimum actually tried to tell me he was releasing an undersize jenny from my pot (there was one in there) . Thanks alot mate, and thanks for being so considerate of fishing laws but how could you have known about the undersize jenny when the pot and the crab was 5 metres down in dirty water?!? Jacka6s!! >
Do ya recon a local copper would be willing to stakeout with ya, might be a good way of dealing with the situation. Spose the trouble is knowing what night the idiot will strike.
Cheers Fritzy

[The_Walrus]

Tag them with a six inch gaff

I don't bother crabbing anymore, works out too expensive loosing good pots.

Luc

[DICER]

this pric is a crimminal - only one way to find out who is the culprit.

Few time lapse or movement cameras in the right place. Nothing like IR.

[Blackened]

G'day
I've read this post with discust at the behaviours of only a small percentage of "people". Crab pots especially, theft, raiding is very low. What about using GPS or land marks and just sinking your pots? That'd make it near impossible for people to find it.
Dave

[ShaneJ]

What about using GPS or land marks and just sinking your pots?

Because this is illegal! The point is we should have to go to such extremes to catch a few crabs.

[Jeremy]

Thanks Guys but I won't be doing this alone... not this little black duck, spoke to the local police about this.

There is no need for a lot of drama just a witness or two, photos are also good but not necessary. People just have to be prepared to make a statement and go to court.


roz

Sounds like a good plan. I know most/all of us would like to inflict violence on these rotten a$$holes, but much safer to just take it to the police and courts. Good luck with it and I can't wait to hear the outcome.

BTW, very interesting story Jonny. I guess the temptation is just too much for some people.

Jeremy

[Jeremy]

[quote author=Blackened link=1133862526/30#33 date=1134027849] What about using GPS or land marks and just sinking your pots?

Because this is illegal! The point is we should have to go to such extremes to catch a few crabs.[/quote]

I am not certain this is illegal, but then I don't crab anymore. I thought it was legal to tie your rope off a branch as long as the pot is correctly identified? Be interested in more info on this.

Jeremy

[thumps]

[MIKOS]

Fritzy,

Must be the same bloke up there who stole 2 of my pots.

Put them in went for a fish and came back 40 mins later and they were gone.

If your reading this pot theif look out cause you will get caught one day you a$$hole

Nothing gets more up my nose than a friggin theif.

Cheers

MIKOS

[DICER]

40 mins - that is unbelievable. This person must have been watching. Was it at night?

[roz]

From what I can gather, if we are lucky enough to get this mongrel into court, it's likely he will only get a small fine, and be made to pay for the damages to our pots (for the one that he is caught damaging).

But... I am betting that the public humiliation of being caught doing that sort of thing is a fairly good punishment, people have long memories and in a small community like Agnes Water/ 1770 you will wear that lable for as long asyou live there.

That sort of news always gets into the local rag..everybody reads the local rag!

One of the local plumbers got sprung, he doesn't get much work any more and as far as I know he now lives out of town.

Cheers Roz

[ShaneJ]

I heard something like the line to the pot must be clearly marked. I was told that this came in at the same time they changed the legal size for sandies?
I dont know how true this is

[roz]

The no float thing has been tried, this chappie must get around at low tide with a torch.

Roz

[ShaneJ]

Its all good. We'll get him!
I got cameras, IR spot lights, night vision etc etc..

[MIKOS]

Dicer,

Believe it or not it was in the middle of the day.

A time when surely you would be safe.

MIKOS