We have had a number of marine thefts (boats, fuel tanks, equipment and outboard engines) over the years almost always between April and September, usually when low water occurs during the hours of darkness, quite often at the weekend or on a bank holiday and particularly from boats where vulnerable outboard engines, fuel tanks and equipment can be seen from shore and can be accessed at low water.
THC has two CCTV cameras whose primary use is for safety of navigation: the trainable/zoom CCTV camera at the harbour entrance and a trainable/zoom CCTV camera on the Teignmouth side which looks across to Shaldon, Ringmore, Ringmore Strand and Polly Steps and some additional fixed CCTV cameras look in more detail at Polly Steps.
A new stock of Datatag Security kits can be purchased from the Harbour Office at cost price (£30) whilst stocks last.
THC has posted a number of signs around the estuary indicating that outboard engines in the estuary are protected by Datatag.
If you moor your boat on the Teign please:
- Make it difficult for a thief to access the boat;
- Secure equipment left on the boat behind lock and key and out of sight;
- Secure all portable outboard motors left on the boat, make it difficult for a thief to remove;
- Secure all portable fuel tanks if left on the boat; make it difficult for a thief to remove;
- Use security marking and labels to indicate your outboard engine is registered and protected e.g Datatag (£40)*;
- Fit a tracker to your outboard engine or boat e.g. DuoTraq (£50-75)*; but check with manufacturer that it cannot be jammed;
- Consider fitting a solar powered LED light with a motion sensor to your boat.
*The above 2 points might reduce the boat insurance premium;
- Insure the boat, outboard engine and contents.
Compass Outboard Data Tag information:-
Buy a Datatag COMPASS Outboard Motor System – quick and easy to install with no special tools needed you can protect your engine for life in under an hour!
Thousands of outboard motors are stolen each year with thieves often causing serious damage to boats in the process. The Datatag electronic identification system is designed to act as both a deterrent against theft and as a powerful way to recover in the event of a theft. The system is designed to be simply installed by the owner of the outboard motor with no special tools required.
Installation of the Datatag security technologies gives the outboard motor a unique “fingerprint” that can be established, by the police or the insurance industry, in a number of different ways quickly and easily. One call to the 24/7 contact centre will provide relevant authorities with all the owner details required. The unique identity is virtually impossible to remove, how ever hard a criminal may try.
There are no annual fees or other charges when fitting a Datatag system and when you come to sell, you’ll find that the Datatag registration can be transferred to the new owner without fuss for a small one-off admin fee.