WHEN THE owner of the narrowboat that sank in the Oxford Canal came back to it, he found it had been completely stripped clean.
Everything removable had been removed and items that were not removable had either been detached or ripped-out, Janet Friend reports.
Besides all his personal belongings, such as his clothes, even his food had been stolen. And someone obviously wanted a gearbox as that and even the boat's exhaust and pipework had gone. As so had the toilet and the basin out of the bathroom.
River Canal Rescue
The boat was recovered by River Canal Rescue (RCR) that sealed the hull, pumped the water out and refloated it.
The only things left in the boat were the kitchen sink, the log burner, and the mattress. As is understandable the owner was too emotional to speak about it.
The eight boats that were held-up have now left the scene.