“Hook, line and stinker”

Got the following from my local news paper “The Lancaster Guardian”: -
“Hook, line and stinker”
One angler got more than he bargained for as he settled down for a spot of night-time fishing. Instead of reeling in a prize pike as he dozed off at the Wyreside Fishery in Bay Horse one fisherman had his rod and reel stolen by two opportunistic youths. The offenders were chased off by another fisherman who were described by the police as wearing dark clothing and being aged about 18 years old. “It is the first time it has happened in the nine years I have been here” said the manager of the Wyerside Fishery Robert Birkin. “We have always prided ourselves on being safe here” Anyone with information about this theft should contact Lancaster Police.
My comment: -
Watch out for an advert in the local paper “fishing tackle for sale – bargain”

Thankfully this sort of thing is not that common In terms of the number of angler hours spent out by the water, it's quite rare.
However, it is for this reason that I often feel safer when fishing miles from anywhere, rather than close to towns and public access points.

Stewart-I assure you WYRESIDE IS MILES FROM ANYWHERE.

Sounds like a good powerful catapult would have been useful here.....together with some marble sized ball bearings. One of them fired at their backside at force and they wouldn't be able to sit down for a week.

Kevan if you did that you would be up for fire arms offences, and likely jail time. Best to let theives steal your tackle (or anything) as if you defend your hard earned belongings you end up the criminal. SAD BUT TRUE

In which case Steve I would be up in court. Sorry but I would not let the scum take my tackle without putting up some sort of resistance. I habitually carry a Barnett Black Widow catapult with me - they are great for firing leads under trees where you cannot cast. I could I suppose substitute the ball bearing for a 1/2 oz lead. Sorry Mr Police man I was simply firing the lead under yonder tree and these guys scared me so much that I miss aimed.........

Actually I have been told by a police officer that if you can safely defend yourself in anyway then to make sure you never aim for the head. Arms and legs - buttocks - are the best targets to go for. Now if that farmer who shot the intruders in his house had aimed say for the leg of one of his victims he would have stood a far better chance of getting off with self defence in court. That, as I say, is advice from a copper. I will not lay back and let the scumbags win.

By the way, when did catapults suddenly become a firearm? If that's the case then nearly every angler in the country is guilty of carrying an unlicensed firearm.

I find the Barnet Diablo has greater accuracy....

Defending yourself and your property is a right that we shouldn't let any scum, do gooder or any other self righteous hypocrite take away from us.

I totally agree. But a 1/2 ounce lead from a diablo could kill and its alot more dangerous than my webbly nemisis and thats considered a firearm. Nowadays ( i sound old only 25) young lads get the cops called out for them for playing gat guns??? I personally carry a good knife and a catapult.

Catapults are firearms?
Are you sure?

Where's the fire?
I assumed a firearm would need some form of detonation and an amount of explosive somewhere.

It could possibly be deemed a sidearm and most definitely a weapon, but I would dispute a firearm.

My definition of a firearm is a weapon capable of firing a projectile via the use of black powder - black powder being the next step up from gunpowder. I think you will find that even an air rifle is most definitely not classed as a firearm. It is an air weapon. Please note that I did say always aim for the arms or legs. You are not going to kill somebody with a half ounce lead by hitting their limbs. Besides they are bigger targets and easier to hit. Be honest Steve, are you really going to stand there and let some lout steal your belongings? I would understand if there was more than two - but even then if it looked like I was in physical danger then I'd still do as much damage as I could to them. What is there to lose? You mentioned that you always carry a knife, well realistically that could kill. If not them then you. What happens if they take it off you and use it against you? Stick with the catapult, hit them in the right place and they are likely to either drop down or drop what they trying to steal and leg it. They'll go for an easier target. Don't be so worried about the police, as long as their is no major incident you will find that they don't want the hassle of reams of paperwork.

Having been the victim of a couple of crimes - car stereo and a motorcycle stolen - I fight back given the chance.

Wearing another hat I have quite a lot of dealing with the local Constabulary, fortunatly the Chief
Inpsector is also an angler. While chatting one day we got to talking about offensive weapons and the contents of our fishing boxes, it appears that in law we could all be done about 10 times over for all the potentially lethal items we carry as the norm, knives,catapults,throwing sticks, pointed bank sticks, even fishing line could be used as a garrot, apparently though the police would have to prove "intent" before taking any one to court, so we can all rest easy for the moment. Defending yourself is another matter,you can use "reasonable force" to defend yourself or prevent a crime taking place or to make a Citizens Arrest. The problem is defining "reasonable force" in law.

What i meant in my original post was that if you defended yourself whilst a thief was nicking your gear and you hit him with an ounce lead in back of the legs. If he made a complaint to the police about you they would follow it up. Now for example i am lying in my bivvy night fishing, i hear a rustling and look out and two people have made off with my rod so i grab my catty and a 1.5 ounce led and let fly. The lead hits one in the butt (but i am not a good shot and might hit him anywhere), he drops the tackle i capture him and phone the cops on my mobile. Cops come arrest him and he turns out to be 13 with a great bruise on his butt, cops cant do anything but he makes a claim that you assulted him, the police have to follow it up. It is possible that end up the guilty party.

Now what i said in my original post was meant with a bit of irony and you are all right a catapult aint a fire arm but a weapon and Kevan I would defend my tackle and all my belongings.

Steve. Glad to hear that you would defend your stuff. I take your point about if it turned out to be a 13 year old. To be fair, if I managed to hit a thief running away with some of my stuff and he dropped it whereupon I retrieved my gear then I would not bother calling the police. Why? Well, a couple of years ago I heard a commotion outside my house. I looked outside to find a friend of mine from up the road holding onto a lad of about 13. He'd been throwing stones at my friends front window - his kids were stting watching tv at the time and had the window broken they would have been showered with glass and probably cut to ribbons. My friend had been drinking and to me he looked as if he might have laid into this lad. I took over and just wrapped my arms around this lad to subdue him without actually hurting him. My wife called the police. This lad managed to wriggle free and ran off. An hour later the police finally turned up. Had they turned up within 10 minutes they could have questioned the lad. That is why I would rather leave a good bruise on a potential thief's backside than bother with the police. Oh, it also appears that around here - Staffordshire - if a copper hasn't seen the offence they don't want to know. I shalln't go into that one.

I agree with Kevan on this, even if my post is a little late (sorry I'm a newbie) . I also carry a Black Widdow and a mini hardwood baseball bat for putting in guy rope pegs?. I've read the stories about muggings and tackle theft and although I might regret it there is no way anyone is taking my kit, too much time and saving and sentiment involved for any thug to step up on me while I'm out fishing. I have never resorted to violence (touch wood) but the venues my brothers & myself fish are secluded and seclusion seems to attract. :-}~