Keeping ourselves safe and our homes secure is an issue for boaters, as for people in all walks of life. However, there are certain things that boaters can do as a community to minimise the risk of crime and support each other when a crime does take place.
REMEMBER: If you are a victim of crime, try to warn other boaters in the local area. Above all, talk to your neighbours!
ALWAYS tell the police if you are the victim of crime. The more that crime is reported, the more resources will be put into the prevention of crime on the canals and rivers.
These are tips and ideas from boaters on safety and security on the water:
If you do have something stolen, set up Ebay and Gumtree alerts for them. Valuable items like bikes and generators sometimes come up for sale.
Try to take a picture of suspected burglers. Not only does this help identification, sometimes even just pretending to take a photograph can frighten them off.
Be secure, but don’t make a fortress you can’t escape from in a fire.
Don’t be daft (e.g. using your MacBook Pro with the curtains open, in Hackney, at midnight).
Boaters whistles are a community initiative to deter burglers and warn other boaters of an attempted break-in.
If you see someone acting suspiciously, for example looking through boat windows, or if you actually see a crime taking place, BLOW YOUR WHISTLE to alert your neighbours and CONTACT THE POLICE.
EMERGENCIES - Call 999 if the crime is taking place. If the crime has already happened and the perpetrators are gone, call Project Kraken on 101.
How to use your whistle:
Please don’t cry wolf! Don’t play with whistles or use them when no crime is happening.
The police advise that we familiarise ourselves with the local area each time we moor somewhere new, so they can get to us quickly if a crime does take place.
Look for a street sign or memorable sight and calculate approximately how far you are from, it in which direction.
