Secret Seven Fan Club

[anneshiningstar]

well,for a club their really isn't much going on at the moment. don't you think we had better have a certain day of the week were we all get together here?

[Susan Webster]

hi , i think thats a good idea . have a day when we can get together. what do others think.
hers a bit of news from me . last week my friend and i went up to shildon near darlington to see the last ever gathering of the GRESLEY A4 PACIFIC locos . it was great to see these gteat steam engines all in one place and they were the last remaining 6 in existence . they were SIR NIGEL GRESLEY, MALLARD, BITTERN, DOMINION OF CANADA, UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA, and DWIGHT D EISENHOWER. there were hundreds of people there as shildon is part of the national railway museum . did other Secret Seven member go ?
i`m also an Eddie Stobart club member and saw 35 trucks on the way up and 19 on way home --grand total of 54 trucks spotted! anyone else any adventures to share . ?

[pete9012S]

Next door's shed was broken into lately and my neighbour said they took a leather jacket which her son (who now lives in Spain,but works in Iraq) had left there.
Don't know if it's too small a mystery for the Secret Seven Club members to solve ,but she said her son was quite fond of the jacket,although he hadn't worn it recently.

[Moonraker]

As you are 'on the scene', so to speak, it would appear to me that you should do the preliminary investigations, Pete. After all, the leader of the SS was called Peter, wasn't he?

[pete9012S]

I went in cautiously to survey the scene of the crime.The shed as you can imagine is now fully secured with a strong steel padlock.The windows are shut and locked securely.
The robbery came as a surprise to me as next door has two robust active barking dogs and we ourselves own a very alert two year old lab.
I have not been able to speak to my neighbour about the leather jacket and any possible insurance claim.
It is possible though,that as her son Ian is now in Iraq on patrol for the next three months the matter may never be fully resolved.

[Susan Webster]

you could look for clues such as any footprints , ask around if anyone sduspiciosly was hanging aroind asnd acting strange.

[Moonraker]

Yes, come on Peter! Footprints would have been the first thing I would have looked for. The ground is pretty waterlogged, so it shouldn't be that difficult!

By the way, I never liked the 'Gresley' Pacifics - they always looked as if something was missing to me. My favourite loco was the Bulleid Pacifics - Spam cans - in their original form.

[Susan Webster]

wow,what a loco ! beaut! my faviourite is the FLYING SCOTSMAN and TORNADO . I am a trainspotter. i`lltry and get a pic of the one you enclose fo my wall .cheers.

[pete9012S]

It was a welcome relief to look at the lovely picture of the train that Nigel posted.It took my mind off the theft of Ian's leather jacket.
I thought it wise to include a picture of the scene of the crime so you can visualise the topography and layout of the area the thieves intruded.

After work,whilst there was still a little light I looked around for footprints as helpfully suggested.
Sadly,as the ground around the shed is a mixture of concrete and brick,no footprints were apparent.
As well as this,Lady Candling aka known to us as 'Aunty Brenda' has recently had four generations of her family over for a gathering.They overspilled into the garden,presumably for a smoke etc and subsequently the ground,grass and pathways have all been significantly disturbed.

As to anyone suspicious,yes two suspects spring to mind immediately.I will post more pics and a description of the two suspects in due course.

I realise I am unable to give an accurate description of the leather jacket.What was it doing in the unlocked shed?
Ian was in the Marine's for the last thirty years so maybe it was from his service years?
It's only a guess mind,but perhaps the jacket may look something like this???


Anyway,I will leave the investigation there and go and muse over my findings with a medicinal glass of single malt.

[pete9012S]

My neighbour (Lady Brenda)came out today as I was coming in from work.She asked me to put a new roller on her paint brush.
I seized the opportunity to talk to her about the robbery.
She said Ian (who is currently working in Iraq) had not yet heard the bad news about the theft of his leather jacket.

The above picture shows the difficulties facing anyone investigating this robbery.
I think about this time in the proceedings,Fatty would insist on a snack at the dairy.I will follow his lead and have my tea,whilst reflecting on this most puzzling case.
Oh,don't worry,I haven't forgotten the two suspects.But I am rather peckish and will come back to them after my sautéed chicken escalopes.

[Poppy]

Do keep up updated, Pete - I'm very eager to know if you solve the crime!

[Julie2owlsdene]

I think you should put all this down in a book, Pete.

[John Pickup]

Pete, you say that the thieves escaped with Ian's jacket back the way they came. Have you any definite sightings? Have you interviewed the neighbours opposite? If none of the nearby dogs barked, could it have been an inside job? I shan't sleep tonight!

[Susan Webster]

hi , it s possible it may have been an inside job. maybe when the visitors were there. could any of them have taken it --smuggled it out ?

[Anita Bensoussane]

What percentage of people wear leather jackets in your area, Pete? If it's fairly small, perhaps you could shadow all the wearers of leather jackets and find out where they live/work. You could take a photo of each one - digital cameras don't make much noise, and clear photos can be taken from quite a distance away. It might even be worth attending a meeting of bikers!

Of course, the thief may have sold the jacket to the owner of a second-hand shop or market stall so you'd need to check out places like that and ask a few questions. Alternatively, the jacket might turn up on eBay!

Even if there are no footprints, surely the thief must have left behind two or three of the following: fingerprints, a cigarette end, a glove, a handkerchief embroidered with initials, a strand of wool from a jumper, a toffee wrapper, a round mark with a criss-cross pattern, a notebook stuffed with information written in code...

Have you been keeping an eye on the local newspaper for any reports of other shed break-ins/stolen leather jackets?

I am rather peckish and will come back to them after my sautéed chicken escalopes.

I'd have thought jacket potatoes would have been the required brain food when tackling a crime of this nature - or even fried leatherjackets!