-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:13:04 AM
Highway Robbery
Andrew McMillan
Early one morning, when he was running Three Ways Roadhouse at the lonesome junction of the Stuart and Barkly highways in the Northern Territory, Jon Jenkins strolled out to turn off his sprinklers in the caravan park. He found the taps, fed by a rainwater dam eleven kilometres away, gushing onto the ground. Overnight, his entire sprinkler system had been ripped up and swiped.
It was, he surmised, the work of the Grey Nomads, the shiftiest of the nations criminal gangs. Disguised as retired couples whove dreamt for decades of doing the extended trip around Australia once the super kicks in, they prowl the highways in air-conditioned Toorak tractors, towing huge getaway vans. With brand names like Windsor, Regent, Viscount, Statesman and Royal Flair on the outside, the caravans offer a facade of aristocratic respectability.
On the inside, if youre to believe roadhouse workers, the vans are stacked with pilfered sprinklers, tap fittings, toilet rolls, shower roses, sink plugs, bath mats and, for use as siphons, two-metre lengths of garden hose (always cut from the middle). These outlaws will stop at nothing, jemmying toilet-roll holders off the walls, unscrewing cistern floats (useful for crab pots), and pinching pot plants, ashtrays, bar mats, place mats, cups and anything else that isnt bolted down. The worst offenders allegedly wear Victorian plates not surprising, given that a third of all caravans in Australia are registered in that state.
In the highway robbery stakes, the Grey Nomads arch rivals are the Hire n Drive mob, who favour Britz vans and tend to affect European accents. Their infamy stems from their targeting of 15-centimetre lengths of hose for the construction of plastic juice-bottle bongs. Theyre also renowned removalists, booking rooms and then driving off with pillows, doonas, blankets, sheets, towels, jugs. In more serious cases theyve taken the beds, mattresses and chairs as well.
According to Northern Territory Tourist Commission figures for the year ending last September, there were 142,000 self-driving visitors who took to the Territorys roads, but theres no breakdown of numbers between Grey Nomads and their younger rivals. Add 108,500 backpackers to the equation and youve got a hell of a list of suspects.
Roadhouse staff are constantly baffled by the loss of tap fittings. Some speculate that pensioners return to the city and open weekend market stalls specialising in such devices; others figure that retirees plan on spending more time in the garden once they get home and are simply stocking up. Perhaps its just payback for fuel prices in the bush, which are often up to thirty cents higher per litre.
At Wycliffe Well, a roadhouse and UFO-themed caravan park 125 clicks south of Tennant Creek, owner Lew Farkas explains, They dont realise that by taking one tap fitting, if it cant be replaced that night, its a whole week that your garden or lawn is suffering. Its not like you can just shoot down the local hardware store and get another simple little fitting, so youve got to carry heaps of stock. But you run out all the time because they just keep taking them.
The crime wave tends to be seasonal, peaking in the southern winter months as the convoys of tourists wend their way into the tropics to loot and pillage at will.
In Aileron (population five), 135 kilometres north of Alice Springs, affable roadhouse proprietor Greg Dick bemoans the scrapping of the Territorys mandatory sentencing regime, under which a Grey Nomad pinching a toilet roll could score a fortnights leisure at Her Majestys pleasure.
I was as busy as hell on a Monday morning, so I shot down to the toilets and put some extra rolls of paper in. I had five customers in the front part of the shop, and I was serving away and this woman goes past with this roll of toilet paper in her hand. Shes heading out. And I thought, ****, I didnt serve her. So I said, Excuse me fellas, and flew around the side. I yelled out to her, Hey luv, what about my toilet paper? Ya bloody thief!
She wheels around and throws it at me. So I let off with a mouthful of stuff. Look what you got over there: a bloody 25-foot caravan and a bloody four-wheel-drive towing it, and too frigging miserable to buy a roll of effing toilet paper.
I gave em a good mouthful on it and I said, Look, you want something free? We got mandatory sentencing here. Ill get your numbers now and Ill ring ahead and youll get bloody two weeks free holiday. Well, for Gods sake, you shouldve seen them all empty their cups of coffee and take off.
Out on the Lasseter Highway at Curtin Springs Roadhouse, owner Ashley Severin attributes the theft of charity boxes such as plastic guide dogs, Legacy helmets and Royal Flying Doctor Service hats to the Hire n Drive mob and backpackers. But its the Grey Nomads he holds responsible for the most unusual thefts.
The urinal lollies those little, pretty-smelling things you stick in the urinal weve had them pinched. Christ knows what they do with them: put em on their caravan wall and say, Isnt that lovely, that reminds me of Curtin Springs?
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:30:03 AM
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:32:20 AM
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:34:06 AM
Delta18 said
10:30 AM Sep 13, 2009
It is sad to think it may be true, but I guess in all fairness in any demographic there will be a similar cross section of characteristics.
Thus said, there must be an amount of light fingered types that will steal anything not bolted down, and in some cases even those.
We can hope that in the several years since that story was written some of those responsible have been removed from the gene pool.
cheers
Vic41 said
10:44 AM Sep 13, 2009
Still a lot around like that Stefan, general Grey Nomads (not the ones from this site of course), backpackers/overseas tourists and "locals" of one sort or another. Engel fridges or equilavents seem to be a favourite item, but not restricted to them.
I saw on another site where a chap had his front window aluminium covers stolen while in a caravan park, only any good to another caravanner. They were very hard to get for his model and someone obviously knew that and wanted them for their caravan.
Vic
-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:53:28 AM
dave06 said
12:08 PM Sep 13, 2009
load of crock, I wouldnt have the space nor energy nor inclination
Rolly said
12:54 PM Sep 13, 2009
See "Just Joking" for my reply.
dave06 said
01:34 PM Sep 13, 2009
I wish the mongrel prick who stole my brand new (1 week old) canon EOS 40D twin lens enthusiast camera kit out of my car were only joking
with the extras I purchased at the same time it came in at almost $3,000
insurance will cover up $2,500 but all my photo's from the rock and around Alice are gone, probably be blanked off the micro drive by some mongrel who buys the setup in a local pub for a few hundred dollars, I hope he enjoys it
not happy!!!!!! first thing in all my years of travel that I have had stolen
Rolly said
02:08 PM Sep 13, 2009
Bumma !!
Sorry to hear that, Dave (even sorrier that it happened ).
You're right; it's the loss of the piccies that is really the saddest part.
Delta18 said
02:33 PM Sep 13, 2009
What rotten **** etc etc. What I would like to call them isn't allowed.
We're also sorry to hear that your camera was stolen. What goes around, comes around .. would be good to be there to see it when it happens to them.
Mongrels!!
hotrodbus said
03:01 PM Sep 13, 2009
I hope they feel guilty as hell when they use it but as you said they mongrels have probably sold it in local pub by now, I am sorry Dave that you have lost all photos,trouble is with these sort of people if police caught them they only get a smack on fingers. Maybe should do what other countries do to thieves
Chris and Robbie
Vic41 said
03:20 PM Sep 13, 2009
Yep, ditto Dave, we were looking forward to seeing a couple of pic's or your report on the trip,
Sorry to hear it, Vic
-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 13th of September 2009 03:20:56 PM
Basil Faulty said
05:44 PM Sep 13, 2009
Lets be honest, the 3 ways does have a reputation though fortunatley I have not expereinced it. Stories of all night parties with the associated activities (group sex, fighting, gratutiuous vandalism) are common so this may have been simlpy another drunken orgy of vandalism by some revellers....I doubt very much that Grey Nomads would be involved for a start this reeks of some planning and most GN's are not that organised....
Sorry Dave you had your gear half inched, of course you have reported it because you are a suave organised GN and are keeping an eye open on Ebay, mate had his custom made golf clubs stolen; had his name engraved on the heads; 3 weeks later they were up on Ebay, notified the police and the seller was taken into custody and it was discovered that there are indeed "gangs" stealing and reselling on Ebay....
As to stealing taps etc I know its actually well trained dogs responsible for this, they find it easier to get a pair of stilsons and remove the tap rather than turn it on for a drink....
As to the thefts at Wycliffe Well, and I commend to you this place; it is obviously the work of the Aliens that are claimed to visit here with monotonous regularity.... "Perhaps its just payback for fuel prices in the bush, which are often up to thirty cents higher per litre" now we may be getting closer to the truth but 30 cents Oh come on closer to $1 extra......
elliemike said
06:40 PM Sep 13, 2009
I always thought most Hotels-Motels-campsites etc. suffered some pilfering/theft.
But seeing most people book in to these places filling in details "Car Registration" seems mandatory and home adress. Plus it's usually booked by credit card.
They have an awfull lot of information about the last occupier of a room. If the pillows are missing or the telly gone !! the cleaner would know immediately before it was re let. Might be that it's not worth the hassle of taking legal action against the thief.
As for carrying a load of old reticulation gear in your van or M/H Hmmmm.
In my job as a factory maintenance manager I used to be amazed at the gear that would be pinched. Sinks off the wall, Shower fittings, Toilet cisterns, Shower mats, Gas water heaters. Even your lunch box in the fridge in the lunchroom was not safe.
Regards Mike
suenami said
10:02 PM Sep 13, 2009
You're right Stefan. "our" kind simply wouldn't..
dave06 said
10:11 AM Sep 14, 2009
I explained my theft to "Ted" from "ted's camera's" this morning, he replaced everything that I lost including the microdrive at cost, it still cost me an extra $250 to replace everything that I had in the bag (including the bag) but at least it is back
but my piccys of our trip are gone and so are the irreplaceable memories that were on it and $40 out of the console box
it happened in alice so I reported it straight away but the copper didnt hold out any hope, "happens all the time" he said as I was filling out the report form work
I took a photo and then put it on the floor in the back, covered it with a blanket and thought I had locked the door, but apparently not, first theft in 30 years of travelling, had to be the camera
not happy Jan does not describe my feelings as well as the feeling of despair at the plight of these people who I was singing the praises of that very morning, still down about it this morning, just leaves a horrid taste in my mouth
but I didnt nick any taps but I did find some tent pegs!
Stefan said
10:50 AM Sep 14, 2009
Hi
Have you tried leaving job applications and soap in plain view in the car??That might deter them
dave06 said
12:37 PM Sep 14, 2009
I should have said an extra $250 on top of the $2,500 that the insurance paid out to me, even with Ted's discounts I'm still out of pocket and photo's, I'm angry as hell but what do you do!!
a job application may have scared them for a while, but what I could see they werent afraid of hard work they could sit and watch it all day!!
the soap may have worked though, some of them, OH boy!!!
gotta go, signal nicking off!!
Rolly said
02:14 PM Sep 14, 2009
suenami wrote:
You're right Stefan. "our" kind simply wouldn't..
But, unfortunately, "our kind" seem to be a diminishing minority.
Either that or my misanthropy is flourishing; well fed with manure of a wide variety
Stefan said
02:39 PM Sep 14, 2009
Hi Well i had to look that word up misanthropy!For anyone else who doesn't know, here is the meaning.
Misanthropy is a general dislike, distrust, contempt, or hatred of the human species or a disposition to dislike and/or distrust other people's silent consensus about reality. The word comes from the Greek words (misos, "hatred") and ( anthrpos, "man, human being"). A misanthrope is a person who dislikes or distrusts humanity as a general rule.
Rolly said
02:51 PM Sep 14, 2009
Stefan wrote:
Hi Well i had to look that word up misanthropy!For anyone else who doesn't know, here is the meaning.
Misanthropy is a general dislike, distrust, contempt, or hatred of the human species or a disposition to dislike and/or distrust other people's silent consensus about reality. The word comes from the Greek words (misos, "hatred") and ( anthrpos, "man, human being"). A misanthrope is a person who dislikes or distrusts humanity as a general rule.
Describes me to a "T"
-- Edited by Rolly on Monday 14th of September 2009 02:52:14 PM
Basil Faulty said
06:36 PM Sep 14, 2009
Stefan wrote:
Hi
Have you tried leaving job applications and soap in plain view in the car??That might deter them
Maybe..... but then I have to admit to being the lowlife who left a cake of exploding soap on the handbasin at Pimba.....
Delta18 said
06:48 PM Sep 14, 2009
Ummmm .. whereabouts did you get the exploding soap?
(We certainly would never do something like that? (chuckle, chuckle) )
Basil Faulty wrote:
Maybe..... but then I have to admit to being the lowlife who left a cake of exploding soap on the handbasin at Pimba.....
Vic41 said
11:45 AM Sep 16, 2009
This is an extract of a report on a couple of UK tourists of foreign descent who were partly funding their trip in this manner;
This is a brief outline of a report I saw elswhere regarding a couple of UK tourists of foreign descent in a Whiz Bang who were partly funding their trip in this manner;
In a caravan park at Elliot, the Police attended and arrested two UK tourists in a whiz bang who had in their possession several kilos of lead sheet (presumably lifted from the corners/joins of corrugated iron as they did in days gone by) a couple of dozen taps, and a couple of spare wheels (not the same size as their Wicked van), they stated that they sell these items to scrap metal merchants in places where they can't get casual employment.
I suppose Grey Nomads were getting the blame for some of their thefts elsewhere.
Tambie said
08:47 PM Sep 20, 2009
We carry our own dunny rolls, I have a delicate posteria, and most parks use fine grade sandpaper, our "Paj" always has a few rolls on board, that is soft and cucucudddly.
As for lugging irrigation systems all around the block , who would bother, we are constantly trying to lighten the load.
As they say tough, whoever they are, it takes all kinds.
Cheers tambie
dave06 said
03:00 PM Sep 25, 2009
yep me too Tambie! we got our own and wouldnt use others, as you say "nice and cuggly"
Basil Faulty said
06:47 PM Sep 25, 2009
I had a mind to knock of a stainless steel sheep today, it was just standing at an intersection with some others. Trouble is they must be Mafia sheep cause they have massive great concrete feet....
I assume this was written tongue in cheek ? Surely "our" kind wouldn't do that sort of thing ???
http://www.themonthly.com.au/nation-reviewed-andrew-mcmillan-highway-robbery--182
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:13:04 AM
Highway Robbery
Andrew McMillan
Early one morning, when he was running Three Ways Roadhouse at the lonesome junction of the Stuart and Barkly highways in the Northern Territory, Jon Jenkins strolled out to turn off his sprinklers in the caravan park. He found the taps, fed by a rainwater dam eleven kilometres away, gushing onto the ground. Overnight, his entire sprinkler system had been ripped up and swiped.
It was, he surmised, the work of the Grey Nomads, the shiftiest of the nations criminal gangs. Disguised as retired couples whove dreamt for decades of doing the extended trip around Australia once the super kicks in, they prowl the highways in air-conditioned Toorak tractors, towing huge getaway vans. With brand names like Windsor, Regent, Viscount, Statesman and Royal Flair on the outside, the caravans offer a facade of aristocratic respectability.
On the inside, if youre to believe roadhouse workers, the vans are stacked with pilfered sprinklers, tap fittings, toilet rolls, shower roses, sink plugs, bath mats and, for use as siphons, two-metre lengths of garden hose (always cut from the middle). These outlaws will stop at nothing, jemmying toilet-roll holders off the walls, unscrewing cistern floats (useful for crab pots), and pinching pot plants, ashtrays, bar mats, place mats, cups and anything else that isnt bolted down. The worst offenders allegedly wear Victorian plates not surprising, given that a third of all caravans in Australia are registered in that state.
In the highway robbery stakes, the Grey Nomads arch rivals are the Hire n Drive mob, who favour Britz vans and tend to affect European accents. Their infamy stems from their targeting of 15-centimetre lengths of hose for the construction of plastic juice-bottle bongs. Theyre also renowned removalists, booking rooms and then driving off with pillows, doonas, blankets, sheets, towels, jugs. In more serious cases theyve taken the beds, mattresses and chairs as well.
According to Northern Territory Tourist Commission figures for the year ending last September, there were 142,000 self-driving visitors who took to the Territorys roads, but theres no breakdown of numbers between Grey Nomads and their younger rivals. Add 108,500 backpackers to the equation and youve got a hell of a list of suspects.
Roadhouse staff are constantly baffled by the loss of tap fittings. Some speculate that pensioners return to the city and open weekend market stalls specialising in such devices; others figure that retirees plan on spending more time in the garden once they get home and are simply stocking up. Perhaps its just payback for fuel prices in the bush, which are often up to thirty cents higher per litre.
At Wycliffe Well, a roadhouse and UFO-themed caravan park 125 clicks south of Tennant Creek, owner Lew Farkas explains, They dont realise that by taking one tap fitting, if it cant be replaced that night, its a whole week that your garden or lawn is suffering. Its not like you can just shoot down the local hardware store and get another simple little fitting, so youve got to carry heaps of stock. But you run out all the time because they just keep taking them.
The crime wave tends to be seasonal, peaking in the southern winter months as the convoys of tourists wend their way into the tropics to loot and pillage at will.
In Aileron (population five), 135 kilometres north of Alice Springs, affable roadhouse proprietor Greg Dick bemoans the scrapping of the Territorys mandatory sentencing regime, under which a Grey Nomad pinching a toilet roll could score a fortnights leisure at Her Majestys pleasure.
I was as busy as hell on a Monday morning, so I shot down to the toilets and put some extra rolls of paper in. I had five customers in the front part of the shop, and I was serving away and this woman goes past with this roll of toilet paper in her hand. Shes heading out. And I thought, ****, I didnt serve her. So I said, Excuse me fellas, and flew around the side. I yelled out to her, Hey luv, what about my toilet paper? Ya bloody thief!
She wheels around and throws it at me. So I let off with a mouthful of stuff. Look what you got over there: a bloody 25-foot caravan and a bloody four-wheel-drive towing it, and too frigging miserable to buy a roll of effing toilet paper.
I gave em a good mouthful on it and I said, Look, you want something free? We got mandatory sentencing here. Ill get your numbers now and Ill ring ahead and youll get bloody two weeks free holiday. Well, for Gods sake, you shouldve seen them all empty their cups of coffee and take off.
Out on the Lasseter Highway at Curtin Springs Roadhouse, owner Ashley Severin attributes the theft of charity boxes such as plastic guide dogs, Legacy helmets and Royal Flying Doctor Service hats to the Hire n Drive mob and backpackers. But its the Grey Nomads he holds responsible for the most unusual thefts.
The urinal lollies those little, pretty-smelling things you stick in the urinal weve had them pinched. Christ knows what they do with them: put em on their caravan wall and say, Isnt that lovely, that reminds me of Curtin Springs?
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:30:03 AM
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:32:20 AM
-- Edited by Stefan on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:34:06 AM
Thus said, there must be an amount of light fingered types that will steal anything not bolted down, and in some cases even those.
We can hope that in the several years since that story was written some of those responsible have been removed from the gene pool.
cheers
I saw on another site where a chap had his front window aluminium covers stolen while in a caravan park, only any good to another caravanner. They were very hard to get for his model and someone obviously knew that and wanted them for their caravan.
Vic
-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 13th of September 2009 10:53:28 AM
See "Just Joking" for my reply.
Bumma !!
Sorry to hear that, Dave (even sorrier that it happened
You're right; it's the loss of the piccies that is really the saddest part.
What rotten **** etc etc. What I would like to call them isn't allowed.
We're also sorry to hear that your camera was stolen. What goes around, comes around .. would be good to be there to see it when it happens to them.
Mongrels!!
Sorry to hear it,
Vic
-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 13th of September 2009 03:20:56 PM
Sorry Dave you had your gear half inched, of course you have reported it because you are a suave organised GN and are keeping an eye open on Ebay, mate had his custom made golf clubs stolen; had his name engraved on the heads; 3 weeks later they were up on Ebay, notified the police and the seller was taken into custody and it was discovered that there are indeed "gangs" stealing and reselling on Ebay....
As to stealing taps etc I know its actually well trained dogs responsible for this, they find it easier to get a pair of stilsons and remove the tap rather than turn it on for a drink....
As to the thefts at Wycliffe Well, and I commend to you this place; it is obviously the work of the Aliens that are claimed to visit here with monotonous regularity....
"Perhaps its just payback for fuel prices in the bush, which are often up to thirty cents higher per litre" now we may be getting closer to the truth but 30 cents Oh come on closer to $1 extra......
But seeing most people book in to these places filling in details "Car Registration" seems mandatory and home adress.
Plus it's usually booked by credit card.
They have an awfull lot of information about the last occupier of a room. If the pillows are missing or the telly gone !! the cleaner would know immediately before it was re let.
Might be that it's not worth the hassle of taking legal action against the thief.
As for carrying a load of old reticulation gear in your van or M/H Hmmmm.
In my job as a factory maintenance manager I used to be amazed at the gear that would be pinched. Sinks off the wall, Shower fittings, Toilet cisterns, Shower mats, Gas water heaters. Even your lunch box in the fridge in the lunchroom was not safe.
Regards
Mike
You're right Stefan. "our" kind simply wouldn't..
Hi
Have you tried leaving job applications and soap in plain view in the car??That might deter them
But, unfortunately, "our kind" seem to be a diminishing minority.
Either that or my misanthropy is flourishing; well fed with manure of a wide variety
Well i had to look that word up misanthropy!For anyone else who doesn't know, here is the meaning.
Misanthropy is a general dislike, distrust, contempt, or hatred of the human species or a disposition to dislike and/or distrust other people's silent consensus about reality. The word comes from the Greek words (misos, "hatred") and ( anthrpos, "man, human being"). A misanthrope is a person who dislikes or distrusts humanity as a general rule.
-- Edited by Rolly on Monday 14th of September 2009 02:52:14 PM
more is to be had via Ebay;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EXPLODING-BANG-SOAP-BAR-WEIRD-UNUSUAL-GADGET-TOY-GIFT_W0QQitemZ260469829961QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090831?IMSfp=TL090831168003r11410
LOL .. you meanie you
(thanks for the link)