Can anybody help

[spudulike]

32 minutes ago, Not_an_arb said:

Part of me actually wants to say yes but, I can’t say for certain; I’ll ask the neighbour. He likes to take pictures on his mobile, perhaps he may have snapped something on the day.

 

They had a flatbed/tipper and wood chipper. That’s all I know for certain.
 

I appreciate the detective work. It’s actually consumed a large portion of the last week. I should really be looking after the kids and studying!

The partners parents have a farm TA20 3AA maybe where he operates from!

[aatimbers]

You have been had pikies, do this trick all over the country. The arb trade is open to this all the time, They take you company name from your vans etc even claim jobs you have just finished. We have a man come and tell us they knock his door, 3 doors along from where we were working. Local trading standards and police showed up at our yard demanding we finish a jobs the pikies left a week before. I went with them to see the old folks. They said its was not us and showed the police photos off them and their pickup. SO LOOK OUT

 

[monkeybusiness]

10 minutes ago, Not_an_arb said:

I agree to a some extent. Although I believe anyone is traceable in this era. However, given my lack of time and resources, the person to find them may not be me.

 

I have a phone number for now, and I have spoken to them a few times, so for now, there’s a slight chance. I’ll take that.

Your best bet is to get another phone and ring them as a ‘totally new customer who has received a flyer’ (you obviously need to try and find out which other letter boxes have been targeted). Ask them to quote a massive tree removal at a different address, and be ready to ambush them outside that address at the organised time. 
Take firearms and a disguise, and arrange a watertight alibi before the event. You will unfortunately never get yours or your neighbour’s money back (accept that now), but you will get revenge and do the world a massive favour!

Also, spread the word that anyone touting for business flyering letterboxes is not to be entertained. There are many many brilliant tree surgeons out there - only employ one recommended by friends/friends of friends etc. There is no need to use anyone totally unknown (this won’t guarantee a pain-free experience, but will definitely improve your chances of getting a decent firm in). 

[Not_an_arb]

The thought has crossed my mind. And a solicitor even suggested that I call from a different number and take their vehicle details etc (minus the tactical armed ambush :D) 
 

I have accepted that I’m unlikely to get any money from them but, until I know 100% that I won’t find them, I’ll keep having a browse; it’s no skin off of my nose.

 

I’m still intrigued by the google image search I referred to it in an earlier comment. 
 

Now, they could well be gypsies, or... they could just be idiots. I know you folks have had far more experience with these issues than I have, so I certainly won’t ignore your comments.
 

Like I said though, I’m happy to keep plugging away and see where it leads. 

 

[Rough Hewn]

We got a guy like that.
(In France)
A thief stupid enough to post our stolen stuff online.
Police were too busy...
So we got in a van to visit the guy.
Phoned the police en route.
“Hi, we are 4 large angry men and we are going to get our stuff back”.
2 minutes later they call back.
Suprisingly they had a spare unit who has time to go round instead of us.???[emoji106]

[Rough Hewn]

Tactical ambush 100%
Otherwise...
Exactly what are the police going to do???‍♂️??‍♂️??‍♂️

[eggsarascal]

11 minutes ago, Not_an_arb said:

The thought has crossed my mind. And a solicitor even suggested that I call from a different number and take their vehicle details etc (minus the tactical armed ambush :D) 
 

I have accepted that I’m unlikely to get any money from them but, until I know 100% that I won’t find them, I’ll keep having a browse; it’s no skin off of my nose.

 

I’m still intrigued by the google image search I referred to it in an earlier comment. 
 

Now, they could well be gypsies, or... they could just be idiots. I know you folks have had far more experience with these issues than I have, so I certainly won’t ignore your comments.
 

Like I said though, I’m happy to keep plugging away and see where it leads. 

 

What are you going to do if you should be so lucky to find them?, I've no idea who ripped your neighbor off and damaged your property, but I'm sure they won't be compensating you.

[Not_an_arb]

7 minutes ago, eggsarascal said:

What are you going to do if you should be so lucky to find them?, I've no idea who ripped your neighbor off and damaged your property, but I'm sure they won't be compensating you.

I know they have no intention of paying, that much is clear to me. The police/legal advisors have said that without an address, they cannot do anything. So I would like to know what exactly they would do WITH and address. Most likely nothing but, there are at least legal avenues to pursue with a location. 
 

At this point I have no expectations. I’ll sleep better knowing I tried to do something.

[spudulike]

How about dumping that lump of timber through their front window....that's a good start....see what happens and then see how it burns if the response isn't good!

[monkeybusiness]

30 minutes ago, Not_an_arb said:

The thought has crossed my mind. And a solicitor even suggested that I call from a different number and take their vehicle details etc (minus the tactical armed ambush :D) 
 

I have accepted that I’m unlikely to get any money from them but, until I know 100% that I won’t find them, I’ll keep having a browse; it’s no skin off of my nose.

 

I’m still intrigued by the google image search I referred to it in an earlier comment. 
 

Now, they could well be gypsies, or... they could just be idiots. I know you folks have had far more experience with these issues than I have, so I certainly won’t ignore your comments.
 

Like I said though, I’m happy to keep plugging away and see where it leads. 

 

Sadly, from a law point-of-view they won’t be idiots. They are definitely very clued up con-men well versed in what they will easily get away with. 
Your neighbours have been ripped off by members of a massive criminal enterprise that exists in plain sight in our society, and is apparently pretty much immune from the law. They don’t have traceable trading addresses, property, or even names - it isn’t possible for the systems of society that we law-abiding ‘normal’ people are subject to to locate and prosecute them as they know and exploit the systems inside out.
Once you employ them you are on their terms - you will definitely end up poorer though!