Luggage theft on trains in Cornwall (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Additional options ... browse to file and upload.   Worked for me.   Did you try something that was larger than the stated limits?  What actually happened when you tried?   Please post up more clues to help me help you if these tips don't solve it.

[caliwag]

Thanks G...when I openned the press release yesterday, the photos were absent...worked this time...thanks for your help.  Was down that neck of the woods that week, thought I best check, just in case...but cannot say I spotted him, despite the socks and sandles!!

[JayMac]

From This is the Westcountry:

British Transport Police officers investigating the theft of a passenger^s property from a train in Cornwall are appealing for the public^s help to identify two people they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.

Officers have released a CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) image of a man and woman they believe may have information which can assist their investigation.

The 41-year-old victim boarded the 1206hrs London Paddington to Penzance service on Saturday August 28 and placed a holdall bag in the luggage rack in the vestibule area of a first class carriage on board the train.

She told police she checked on her luggage as the train was departing Bodmin Parkway rail station and all was in order but later noticed it was missing when the train reached St Erth.

PC Bob Edwards said: ^As part of our enquiries, officers have viewed CCTV and identified a man and a woman, seen on camera at Truro rail station, who we would like to speak to in connection with the theft of this holdall.

^I would ask anyone with information about the identity of the people in this photograph, or who knows of their whereabouts, to contact British Transport Police.^

Anyone with information should call British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident number 398 of 28/08/2010, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN

[inspector_blakey]

Hmm...a sub-editor somewhere needs a slap on the wrist methinks. Train thieves! How on earth do they manage to pinch an entire train...?!

[grahame]

.... How on earth do they manage to pinch an entire train...?!

Let's see: Train Theft?

No - that was just a locomotive. I'll have another go: Train Theft!

Yep ... enough there to run a decent service on a line or two that needs it!

[Chris from Nailsea]

With my apologies for the belated posting of this appeal - from BTP^▸ (British Transport Police):

DO YOU RECOGNISE THIS MAN? TRANSPORT POLICE APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AFTER CAMERA THEFT ^ DEVON/CORNWALL

British Transport Police (BTP) officers are appealing for the public^s help to identify a man they would like to speak to in connection with the theft of a camera from on board a train between Plymouth and St Erth.

Officers have today released a CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) image of a man they believe will have information which can assist their investigation into the incident.
 
PC Wayne Frost, investigating officer, said the incident took place on board the 1723 Plymouth to Penzance service on Friday, 10 December 2010.

^The 17-year-old victim placed her camera, a black Nikon DX500 model in a black case, on an overhead luggage rack on the train. After the train had left St Erth rail station, she noticed that her camera had gone. Another passenger on board the train said he believed a male passenger may have taken the camera when he took his own belongings from the same luggage rack before alighting at St Erth station.

^Officers have viewed CCTV and would like to identify and speak to them man in this CCTV image so that we can eliminate him from our enquiries. It is believed he may have gone on to travel to a destination along the St Ives branch line. I would urge anyone who knows the identity of the man in the photograph to contact police straight away.^

Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference B17/WWA of 05/01/2011, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

On an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to-day from St Erth.  After Liskeard the TM^‡(resolve) made a "security announcment" - a lady had reported that her case had been stolen, apparently between St Austell and Liskeard, and the TM advised all of us to check our luggage and keep an eye on it. 

The case was still unaccounted for on arrival at Plymouth, but I don't know whether it turned out to be a real theft or a case (sorry) of a passenger forgetting where she left her luggage, or some other passenger making a genuine mistake and picking up the wrong luggage when they got off at Bodmin Road or Liskeard.

So advice must be to keep an eye on your luggage.

[grahame]

... or even (sorry) a report made to start an insurance claim ... 

So advice must be to keep an eye on your luggage.

I still wonder how we're supposed to do this when the luggage racks are at the end of the carriage and the seats face towards the center.   Eyes in the back of our heads??

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I'm not sure either.  And when the train is offering a Restaurant service in Coach F as it was yesterday, and offering places to both Standard & First Class passengers, what do you do if you're sitting in Coach A and fancy a nice meal?  Are you supposed to lug your case(s) through B, C, D and E and store them somewhere in F while you eat?

[vacman]

I know the prolific luggage theif in the area was caught and banged up for a few months and now would be about the time of his release, coincidence???

[Brucey]

My mum keeps reminding/pestering me to buy a bike lock to lock my suitcase to something in the luggage rack.  An excellent idea however there isn't anything to actually chain the case to on a 158!  She was shocked last time I took her on a train and the carriage wasn't split into individual compartments

Where possible, I prefer to travel with a small suitcase and holdall rather than one large case as these both fit on the overhead rack.

[Tim]

I know the prolific luggage theif in the area was caught and banged up for a few months and now would be about the time of his release, coincidence???

You cynic!  You may be right.

[JayMac]

I'm not sure either.  And when the train is offering a Restaurant service in Coach F as it was yesterday, and offering places to both Standard & First Class passengers, what do you do if you're sitting in Coach A and fancy a nice meal?  Are you supposed to lug your case(s) through B, C, D and E and store them somewhere in F while you eat?

You could lug your case all the way to the restaurant car, but there'd be nowhere to put it. The Pullman staff use the luggage rack in Coach F for storing crockery and tableware.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release:

DO YOU RECOGNISE THIS MAN? TRANSPORT POLICE APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AFTER THEFT OF LUGGAGE - TRURO

British Transport Police (BTP) officers are appealing for the public^s help to identify a man they would like to speak to in connection with the theft of a suitcase from on board a train Cornwall.

Officers have today released CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) images of the man they hope to trace and speak to about the incident which took place on Monday 7 March 2011.

Investigating officer, PC Wayne Frost, said the 71-year-old victim boarded the 1512hrs service to Penzance at Birmingham New Street rail station and placed her maroon trolley-style case in the overhead luggage racks.

^When the train was approaching Truro, a female passenger offered to get the victim^s case down from the overhead luggage racks and placed it behind the seat where the victim was sitting,^ PC Frost said. ^However, when the victim went to alight from the train at St Erth rail station, she realised the case was no longer behind her seat. Rail staff checked the train but there was no trace of the woman^s case which contained a digital camera and clothing worth around ^260.^

Officers have viewed CCTV images as part of their enquiries and would now like to identify and speak to the man in these photographs as they believe he will have information which can assist the investigation.

PC Frost added: ^Although the man^s face is obscured with his scarf and hood, I am hopeful that someone in the Truro area may recognise the clothing and boots he is wearing and will come forward with information regarding his identity and whereabouts.^

As an aside: good to see the ticket barriers and checks working so well at Truro, in those pictures ...



Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the British Transport Police press release:

DO YOU KNOW THIS MAN BRITISH TRANSPORT APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AFTER THEFT ON TRAIN ^ PENZANCE

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) is appealing for the public^s help to identify a man who officers want to speak to in connection with the theft of a passenger^s property from a train in Cornwall.

Officers have today released a CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) image of a man they believe will have information which can assist the investigation.

PC Bob Edwards, investigating officer, said the victim was travelling from London Paddington to Penzance on Friday 26 August when the incident took place.

^The victim placed her bag in the luggage rack at the end of a first class carriage on the train,^ PC Edwards said. ^When the train arrived at Penzance, she went to retrieve her luggage from the rack and realised that her bag was no longer there. The victim and her partner noticed a man acting suspiciously as he came out of the toilet in the carriage with what they believed to be the victim^s bag.

^They challenged the man and as they made their way to speak to the train guard, the man ran off leaving the bag behind. After checking the bag, the victim noticed that her camera was missing.

^Enquiries are ongoing and after viewing CCTV from the station, I would like to trace and speak to the man in this photograph as I believe he will have information which can assist the investigation.^

The man police want to talk to is described as white, aged around 34-39, about 5ft 8in, with short hair that was greying. He was wearing a blue, faded T-shirt with a pattern or image on the front, denim three-quarter length trousers and beige/brown sandals.

Anyone who recognises the man, or who knows his current whereabouts, is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident number B7/WWA of 06/10/2011. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.