Middlewich Narrowboats targeted

THE boat hire company Middlewich Narrowboats has had its boats targeted by thieves stealing batteries from its narrowboats.

Since last October there have been a reported 20 thefts of batteries, valued at £90 each, from its boats moored at the town on the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Cost around £2,000

Manager Adam Foskett related that the loss of the batteries has cost the company around £2,000, including the labour needed to replace them, and believed that it paints a bad picture of the town.

The problem was that the boats are moored by the bank-side out of season whilst the business is closed, and are thus easily accessible

Battery missing

Adam has run Middlewich Narrowboats for seven years, and though he has not lost any customers owing to the thefts, he nearly did as it was found a battery was missing on a boat that was booked to go out, and the customer had to wait for a replacement to be fitted.

He is considering CCTV installation to attempt to counteract the continued thefts.

Lorries too

Not only has Middlewich Narrowboats been targeted, Alfred Overton tells us, but lorries parked too on the adjacent industrial estate have had batteries stolen, and remarks that it's an organised gang, not just opportunist thieves