Trains4u shoplift

ge_rik

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Trains4u had £300 of stuff stolen from their shop by this couple. Apparently, this is not their first offence in model shops. They change their appearance slightly each time, but are still easy to recognise. The info was posted on the 16mm Facebook group and elsewhere with a request to share https://m.facebook.com/story/graphql_pe ... QyMDEyNTI2
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Screenshot_2020-03-07-07-56-23-684.jpeg

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Rik
 

PhilP

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I thought they looked like the 'Roundhouse' couple..

They appear to be working their way through shops in a more Northerly direction?
 

ge_rik

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I thought it was very obliging of him to stare up at the camera...

Rik
 

dunnyrail

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Nasty looking couple, he appears familiar but from where? Will have to lock him into my brain for the next sighting. EDIT. Have put a copy of him looking at the Camera on my phone, if I see him I will be ringing Chester le Street cops.
 
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ge_rik

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I thought it might be useful to circulate the mugshots in case anyone on the forum buys something on eBay and recognises them.
 

My45G

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He has a face you couldn't hit just once...

A model railway exhibition that was being held at a college in Leamington has been targeted by thieves.

Over the weekend the Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society was holding their 45th annual exhibition at Royal Leamington Spa College in Warwick New Road.

The site was targeted by thieves who stole some of the stock at a trade stand that was at the exhibition.

According to police the break-in happened at some time between 6pm on Friday (March 6) and 7am on Saturday (March 7).

The team at the Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society posted a statement on their Facebook page over the weekend addressing what had happened.

The statement said: "The opening of the Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society exhibition was delayed on Saturday morning as the result of a break in at the exhibition centre where the event was being staged.

Police are appealing for information
"Intruders cut their way through the perimeter fence before forcing an entry to a building.

"They made off with a considerable amount of new model railway stock belonging to one of the trade stands attending the exhibition.

"The stolen items were loaded into building material cube bags and a larger section of the perimeter fence was then cut away to enable the bags to be dragged away to a parked vehicle on a remote track running between the grounds of the venue and the river the police believe.

"The raid was almost certainly pre-planned and well executed by an organised crime group from outside of the area. (Other exhibition organisers please note).

"Scenes of crime investigators attended and collected a number of items of interest left by the raiders. Police Officers are also collecting CCTV material for review from the venue and the wider local area.

"The exhibition was eventually able to fully open to the public at 12.30pm on Saturday morning and has been open as normal today, Sunday 8th March 2020 from 10:00am.

"Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society club members expressed concern that there have been a number of similar incidents across the country in the recent past but are pleased to report that on this occasion the intruders have not touched any of the models on display and no further damaged was caused."
 

kim

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I've passed this onto Darren at Top Slots, does anone know their m.o., diversion by one whilst the other nicks or both nicking ect.
Cheers,
Kim
 

My45G

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I've passed this onto Darren at Top Slots, does anone know their m.o., diversion by one whilst the other nicks or both nicking ect.
Cheers,
Kim
In this case the thieves broke in overnight. Schools and colleges used for railway exhibitions seem vulnerable to attack as they usually don't have any overnight security or alarms.
 
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PaulRhB

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In this case the thieves broke in overnight. Schools and colleges used for railway exhibitions seem vulnerable to attack as they usually don't have any overnight security or alarms.
How odd, with all the computers etc there! Certainly the school we used this weekend for a Freemo meet does as the caretaker came in to switch the alarms on as we left Saturday night and I know the school we use for our club show does as well. We used to do overnight security sleeping in the hall many years ago but that was banned once they got alarm systems as now if the alarms go off the police attend and just send in a dog to search.
 

kim

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In this case the thieves broke in overnight. Schools and colleges used for railway exhibitions seem vulnerable to attack as they usually don't have any overnight security or alarms.
Looks like there's a need for overnight security in school/college/private halls, building insurance allowing. My question was aimed at the shoplifters, the guy staring at the camera is classic diversion with the staff watching him whilst another does the nicking. The camera starer then comes up with a load of crap if challenged about what make ect, thinking about one for his shop................
 
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PaulRhB

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Looks like there's a need for overnight security in school/college/private halls, building insurance allowing.
As I said above most schools & colleges won’t allow it as the standard police response now is to put in a dog which will attack you!
I was out on a night engineering job last week and police turned up looking for someone. They asked me to stay in the van while the dog was put out to be on the safe side. Only the dog handler was out, the other two also stayed in their car while the dog was off the lead.
 

David1226

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As I said above most schools & colleges won’t allow it as the standard police response now is to put in a dog which will attack you!
I was out on a night engineering job last week and police turned up looking for someone. They asked me to stay in the van while the dog was put out to be on the safe side. Only the dog handler was out, the other two also stayed in their car while the dog was off the lead.

It sounds as if nothing has changed over the years. When I was in the job police dogs certainly had no respect for 'the cloth'. What you dreaded, was once the premise had been searched and nothing (no one) found, if it was a quiet night, the dog handler would often ask you to go and hide, to give his dog a bit of a training session. The warning was always to hide where there was a door between you and his dog, so that it could not get at you. The things I did for Queen and Country.

David
 
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mike

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Someone's buying the stuff, sadly...
 

kim

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As I said above most schools & colleges won’t allow it as the standard police response now is to put in a dog which will attack you!
I was out on a night engineering job last week and police turned up looking for someone. They asked me to stay in the van while the dog was put out to be on the safe side. Only the dog handler was out, the other two also stayed in their car while the dog was off the lead.

Sorry Paul, I read your post after posting my comment!!
 

kim

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It sounds as if nothing has changed over the years. When I was in the job police dogs certainly had no respect for 'the cloth'. What you dreaded, was once the premise had been searched and nothing (no one) found, if it was a quiet night, the dog handler would often ask you to go and hide, to give his dog a bit of a training session. The warning was always to hide where there was a door between you and his dog, so that it could not get at you. The things I did for Queen and Country.

David

On early turn, cooking my breakfast - steak, bacon, eggs - and looked down to see an alsation sat there looking up at me and licking his lips. The dog handler very kindly told me not to move and that he was only nicking half my breakfast for him and the dog. Colleagues you can depend on!!!
 

Nodrog1826

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They must be doing their "research", the C-le-St shop is not exactly in C-le-St or suited to a quick get away, mind you the till is at the opposite end of the shop from the door, why do shops do this, to encourage theft?

As I have said on here in the past, customer service is not their forte, more of a it's over in that area if you ask for something, the boss on the occasions I've visited, never moved from behind the counter,
if he got up off his arse at all.

Doesn't excuse the actions of this scum though, but why make things easier for them.
 

dunnyrail

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I have often wondered about tills being at the opposite end to the door. But as many people appear to have been born in a Barn or at best do not shut doors because they may be afraid to break the door we have consistently opened doors in all types of not only shops but also in my local pub which has a real problem with punters not shutting the front door when they come in. Fortunately the landlord is a big bloke and afraid of nobody to tell them to shut the door. One can imagine sat by a till next to a door in the winter being a cold occupation.