Has your opinion of the looters changed now then

[CODNoMore]

you " let them have it" gang>

Besides commercial goods there were crates of personal possessions. One had the names ?Anita and Jan Bokdal, Cape Town? written in marker pen on the side. Inside, a scavenger burrowed through the Bokdals? belongings, passing out waterlogged clothes and brass ornaments.

Michael Wheeler, who was lining them up on top of the container, said: ?We?ll take anything that?s worth money. There was a good quality tea set but unfortunately a couple of the cups got broken. I don?t feel bad. It?s only going back in the sea if we don?t take it.?

Last night, the Bokdals, contacted in Cape Town by The Times, said they had been shipping goods worth ?200,000 (£130,000) there from Sweden, including family heirlooms and sports equipment.

?It?s very, very sad,? Mr Bokdal said. ?We didn?t have that much insurance. We?ve lost paintings, carpets, a smoking table which belonged to my mother. We had bought lots of new sports equipment and clothes, some of which we were going to give to the poor here in Cape Town. My wife and I fill boxes and go door to door.?

B

I haven't seen any other threads but I think it is terribly undignified to go scavenging on the beach like vultures in that way.I don't agree with teh let them have it mentality it is typical of todays greed for material things.

god " oh yes we have saved money on nappies" yes ad you look PATHTIC doing it
IMo id rahter the red tops had a go at THESE peopele than fakring GOody

I think it's disgusting. Sky News said this morning that stuff was already being sold on ebay.

As an expat who has moved around and had all my wordly possesions in a container on a ship I really feel sorry for that couple in Cape Town.

These scavengers really are the lowest of the low.

This is really indicative of the mess our society is in.This mentality of get something for nothing and gotta have it noew fuels shows like big brother and the x factor which show average joes living in luxury appartments wearing designer clothes and generally living it up overnight with not a days work between them.

I just hope that when these people see themselves in the cover of todays papers strolling down the beach loaded up with other peoples things that they feel some shame?! unlikely though.

I can't understand why it isn't being classed as theft. I don't care what the scavengers say - the goods don't belong to them and they shouldn't be taking them. The police seem to be colluding.

So many of them have been happy to be interviewed and identified on television, so perhaps they shouldn't be surprised if eventually the authorities do take some action.

I too saw the personal possession containers being looted and thought it was awful. The looters' attitude was "well, they'll have insurance". Well, what if they don't or at least don't have adequate insurance - or their b#st#rd insurance company wriggle out of their obligations??

Profiteering out of something like this is grim indeed

I agree with all of you especially about the personal things. It shows a total lack of thought and respect for other people. It is as bad as the looting that goes on when there is some sort of disaster - Katrina springs to mind.

bad karma

It is disgusting.all the property belongs to someone - even if it is paid for by insurers. I read that stuff people have recovered has already gone on ebay . Please don't bu any of it - guilt by association.

What happens at a time like this? I mean, don't the police go and patrol or try to get it themselves? Or do they just let the scavengers get it?

And if the scavengers didn't get it, would it just sink into the sea?

I don't think it is right. But I am confused as to what should happen, is there anything in place to stop it?

I agree with everyone else here that it is disgusting. They are being so open about it, I really hope the authorities are able to use media footage to charge these people.

They have no shame, I actually think this is a sadder indictment on our society than the whole bb issue!

funny how personal posessions are seen as so different to corporate protery

I also think it's disgusting. As a family who, this time last year had most of our possessions travelling over the seas due to a posting, we were dreadfully upset to see the scavengers on the beach yesterday.

It is theft and should be treatedas such. Why did the police not close the beach as I beleive they have done today?

As far as I know the only law that applies to this situation is that the people taking things have to register what they have taken. It isn't actually theft to take things from a shipwreck in this country which is why the police have had to stand back and let them get on with it. I could be wrong here though.

I wasn't particularly impressed with them nicking stuff anyway - total lotting opportunists, and NOT doing it out of any emotion other than greed. Our stuff & my parents' stuff has just travelled overseas and the thought of all those poor families having people rifling through their most treasured possessions in such a mercenary way is horrible. We were properly insured, but you can't get back memories and really personal stuff.

just because it was 'going back in the sea' doesn't make it any less distasteful. Am particularly unimpressed with anyone trying to justify themself by implying that they're taking the stuff to stop it polluting the sea or whatever - total bollards.

looting

is the 'no theft when it's a shipwreck' one of those really ancient laws?

You could well be right callisto. There are some odd laws of the sea.

DH and I did a powerboat course this summer which covered tha laws of the sea. If you get in difficulty and need rescueing from another vessel and you accept their rope for towage they are entitled to your boat! We were taught always have your own rope ready when preparing to be towed.

I heard on the news this morning that they would now arrest anyone taking anything from the beach

But why wait until now?

So, basically, if they didn't take it, the stuff very probably would just be left to sink?

According to the news article on Sky News it is theft but of course no one is enforcing the law.

It is all very odd. Earlier I read that people could pick up stuff as long as they filled out a certain form, now they will be arrested? Some consistency might be an idea.

I live close to Sidmouth, but haven't bothered going anywhere near the area, it has been packed with onlookers/looters since sunday morning. as far as I am aware, as long as people register any goods removed, and they are not claimed back, they can keep them. apparently the police have been handing out the forms and advising people they must register their finds. I doubt many people will. Unfortunately, it is impossible to police this, the containers are beaching over a wide area covering miles of beautiful coastline. My concern is how is this mess going to be cleaned up, and where is the money going to come from?