Friday 10 July 2009

Maggots

When I left for the Severn last Saturday I made a stupid mistake, that of leaving some of my fishing tackle out in the back yard, including my favourite float rod. When I went out yesterday afternoon to feed the rabbit I thought the yard looked suspiciously tidy. Then the penny dropped...


Some shit had nicked it all!

It wasn't a lot to lose in all honesty. A seat box that I'd pretty much emptied of its contents. A corroding aluminium beach tripod that I haven't used for years, a keepnet with a broken swivel lock and a small landing net, and of course, my favourite float rod. None of this gear was really worth stealing, its sum worth on the black market probably enough for a takeaway for two, which is I suppose what this crime was, as it was almost certainly a two man job, one look-out driving the van and and another to load it up.

It's an old trick. These shits reverse a white van up your drive, open the back doors and take whatever isn't nailed down from around your property. No-one suspects them; they look like they have a household job in hand, which indeed they do. They target an entire locality for a few weeks until the local coppers start to get their act together and things start to get a bit too warm, then promptly move along to another neighbourhood outside their jurisdiction and start over. They never get apprehended because they work on the premise that they will always be one plod ahead of the fuzz and that this kind of paltry pilfering is just not glamorous enough for anyone to bother overmuch with, and the kind of crime that goes unreported by the victims for the most part. It's plain sordid, and even amongst thieves it must rank as the lowest of the low, the kind of job that only someone completely devoid of criminal style and substance could indulge their unhappy existence in pursuit of.

They make life for everyone else just a little shittier, but not much, just a little, like wasps in a pub garden, these insects irritate to the point where you just want to swat them.

And now I have to find another favourite float rod and as every angler knows, finding favourite rods is no easy task.

Maggots is what they are. Maggots.



3 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear the bad news Jeff, it's a common tale these days, too many low lifes at large unfortunately!
    What rod have you lost? I will be happy to keep an eye out for a replacement.

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  2. Thanks for the offer Steve. It was an old Sundridge thirteen footer in green carbon with old style reel fittings on a slim cork handle. Lovely rod though the reel was always falling off and ending up in the cut!

    Cost me seven quid out of cash converters Nuneaton - and it was probably sold on to them by the same tossers, who are probably in the shop haggling a price for it once again as we speak!

    I have another old Sundridge that will do but it has a thick black duplon handle that is horrible. I might just buy some cork and give it a refit.

    Or, I might pile on the agony and get Judy to agree to a brand new Hardy Marksman 14 footer!

    I wish...

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  3. I usually have a spin round the boot sales over the weekend (weather permitting) you never know it may turn up! I already had a look on ebay, no sign of your rod but there is a lovely Sundridge Tench rod for sale.
    Good luck with the Hardy!!!

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