Crab thieve caught

[McKnight]

While away for Easter we went camping at Inskip point for a 10 or so days on the 3rd we set some pots out and by the 4th they were stolen. Queue the rage and disappointment of not being able to catch anything on my first time crabbing and worse first time with brand new gear. Family told me to file a police report, call police link line and file over the phone in around 20 minutes. continue camping still pissed about the lack of crab but enjoyed it none the less.

Fast forward to this morning and I get a call from an officer at the Department of boating and fisheries at Noosa. They found someone in possession of my pots and believed them to be stolen(which they were). A few questions later a long the lines of 'did you authorize anyone to pull your pots?' and the officer thanks me for my time tells me my pots are in his evidence locker until I come and get them or 3 months and they are destroyed. Before I hung up I asked if the fellow was going to be prosecuted and it was affirmative he will be prosecuted.

[Funchy]

Justice prevails!!!

Good stuff :thumbsup:

[robsue]

good news, but I'm surprised
didn't they bother changing floats and name tags on pots?

saw other post now, how stupid could they get, leaving your particulars on pots/floats, they deserve dumbest thief award

[Back In Black]

good news, but I'm surprised
didn't they bother changing floats and name tags on pots?

Proves you don't have to be smart to be a thief.

Great news. Name & shame!!

[McKnight]

They must leave the names on and saw they were asked to pick them up. as the fisheries guy specifically asked if i had authorized anyone to pull them. He certainly gets my nomination for dumbest crim of the week.

[astro66]

a kick in the Mcballs would have been swift justice... :P

[snakecatcher]

Thieving mongrel bastards - fisheries should take their boat

[wayno60]

suck shit ########...Hope he go's a row...

[Scott Ashe]

Good to hear you got your pots back mate, but I would have thought that would be pretty stupid to knock someone's pots off and leave there ID on them.
Cheers

[odes20]

Yes I agree Fisheries SHOULD TAKE THEIR BOAT ! Tough penalties may deter some. If people dont have a conscience, then really tough consequences may help.

[gr hilly]

ha ha ha suckers i hope the judge has a dozen more offences on these guy's and can through the book at them i hope its a big book,
Hilly

[pipifin]

yay!!

Was pulled over by fisheries a couple of months back in the passage just south of Caloundra and asked the fisheries dude if they had much luck catching pot thieves and he told me they had prosecuted a few in the last couple of weeks as they had cameras in the trees in a couple of "hotspots". It was something like 3 or 400 dollar fine per pot for checking someones pot (interfering with someone else's property) and if they took a crab or a pot it was a grand.
He said the cases had dropped dramatically since the prosecutions indicating it was the same few dickheads....... shame there is always more than a few though.

Still wanted to high five the officer though.
Great to hear something is being done.

[McKnight]

Well there is no way this guy can get out of a 4 grand fine, I would rather they take his boat though.

I do have to travel to Noosa (from Brisbane) though to collect them, it would be all the more sweeter if I knew the thieve would be waiting for me to kick him square in the nuts.

[Dignity]

Great outcome for you. There must be some one who travels to Brisbane on a regular basis to help out, I do but I leave from Golden beach and would be happy to drop them off if there is some one who can deliver them from Noosa to Caloundra/Maroochydore area. May head up to Noosa in about 3 weeks but really don't like that place, too many people.

[McKnight]

Thanks Dignity, but I think I may use it as an excuse for a weekend away :)

[Back In Black]

Well there is no way this guy can get out of a 4 grand fine, I would rather they take his boat though.

I do have to travel to Noosa (from Brisbane) though to collect them, it would be all the more sweeter if I knew the thieve would be waiting for me to kick him square in the nuts.

Mate,
I'm in Noosa. If you need me to pick them up for you & hold them here till you get a chance to get them, let me know.
Tony

[Dignity]

Thanks Dignity, but I think I may use it as an excuse for a weekend away :)
I can't think of a better excuse, with a long weekend coming up you could earn a few credit points by suggesting a weekend away.

[BigE]

A real good news story .... maybe helpful to drop and Email to the editor ( or the queensland police service, maybe both) of the local rag with some positive comments for the officer. Good PR gets more budget ... if you know what I mean.


BigE

[Rodman]

In late Jan this year the fisheries had four pots in Teebar Creek with cameras secured to the mangroves and also undersized males crabs that were microchipped in the pots and they caught a pro with the undersized microchipped crabs