Are they taking the pee? Crooks are stealing portable toilets from unmanned building sites during lockdown spree

Police are hunting a gang of crooks following a spate of bizarre portable toilet thefts during lockdown.

Inspector Rob Offord said the thefts have been carried out across Northamptonshire at random, with charities and building sites among those targeted.

He told a council meeting the force had nothing to go on - apart from the suspects had been mainly striking at night in unattended places without any CCTV.

Officers have now advised portable toilet owners, or those hiring the toilets, to secretly mark them so they can be identified if stolen and later found.

Inspector Rob Offord said the thefts have been carried out across Northamptonshire at random, with charities and building sites among those targeted. Pictured: Stock image

Inspector Offord told a Kettering Town Forum meeting: 'It was found in Wellingborough back in August and months proceeding that there was a spate.

'All I can ask is the owners or people hiring them ensure there is some unique identification on them.

'First of all that is overtly on display but can also be covertly put in - whether that is smart water.

'I'm not saying it is proper to microchip them, but they do it with caravans.

'The main thing is, if we seize a portable loo that is great, but if we can't identify its owner, just saying it's blue with a white top - you won't be able to reconcile that back with the original owner, you will have to give it back to the suspect.

Officers have now advised portable toilet owners, or those hiring the toilets, to secretly mark them so they can be identified if stolen and later found. Pictured: Stock image

'Having some kind of identification that is covertly inside it would be really helpful.'

Day service provider Teamwork Trust, based in Kettering, was one charity which had a £500 portable toilet stolen.

Tory councillor Lesley Thurland, of Kettering Borough Council, added: 'This isn't a joke, but it seems there has been a spate of portable toilet thefts.

'I can't believe your normal burglar on the off chance is going round and taking a loo.

'But one of those involved was the Teamwork Trust who can ill afford to get things stolen especially as they need it because of Covid.'

Comments

EXCLUSIVE: From a $US13million mansion to a caravan: How the Australian wife of Il Divo singer has been 'forced' to live in a dodgy trailer park after a wildfire burned down their house during a bitter divorce battle

'Forced' into a 'mobile home park': Renee Izambard (nee Murphy) with her estranged husband, the suave Il Divo opera singer Sebastien Izambard An Il Divo opera singer's estranged Australian wife claims she was 'forced' to live in a caravan park after their $US12.95million Malibu mansion burned down in a wildfire days just after she filed for divorce. Details of one-time Sydney Sony Music executive Renee Izambard's new life after her messy split with French tenor Sebastien Izambard were laid bare in a lawsuit filed with a Californian court this week. Ms Izambard (nee Murphy) is suing insurer State Farm, her estranged husband, an insurance agent and up to 20 others, over an allegedly 'inadequate' policy which covered the couple's destroyed former Malibu home. Their five bedroom residence - described as a 'no expense spared ... oasis' - and its two guest houses went up in flames on November 8, 2018 during California's devastating Wo...

The HS2 money pit: Ministers are told first stage of high-speed rail line may cost another £800m... six months after a budget increase saw total costs soar by £20.6bn to £43billion

Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. It comes just six months after a budget increase saw total predicted costs for the first stage of the high-speed line soar by £20.6billion to £43billion. In a written statement to Parliament, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said half of this figure is due to preparation of the route for construction involving 'more significant challenges than anticipated'. This includes the need to remove more asbestos than expected. Another 'significant cost pressure' worth £400 million has also been identified during the development of designs for Euston station. Mr Stephenson warned that further investigation is being carried out which 'could identify further pressure'. Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. Pictured: HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson The HS2 route would initially link London and...

EXCLUSIVE: Disgraced ex-congresswoman Katie Hill quietly settles divorce from 'abusive' husband after blaming him for exposing their 'throuple' sexual relationship with a young female campaign staffer

Disgraced Democratic Congresswoman Katie Hill has quietly settled her divorce from husband Kenny Heslep after blaming him for exposing a ‘throuple’ sexual relationship they were having with a young female campaign staffer, DailyMail.com can reveal. Hill, 33, resigned from Congress last year after the publication of shocking nude photos of the politician cavorting with junior staffer Morgan Desjardins, who was 22 at the time, and an ethics probe was launched into her alleged affair with another aide. The freshman Democrat from California immediately accused her 'abusive' husband Heslep, 36, of trying to humiliate her and leaking the snaps to ruin her political career. But speaking to DailyMail.com about the divorce settlement, Heslep's lawyer said the former congresswoman's claims were 'all smoke and mirrors.' Disgraced Democratic Congresswoman Katie Hill has quietly settled her divorce from husband Kenny Heslep after blaming him for exposing a ‘throuple’ sexual ...

Newsif Blog

Search This Blog