STOLEN PROSPECTING EQUIPMENT FROM CRESWICK, VICTORIA

Gidday members - Just want to let everyone know to keep and eye out for stolen prospecting equipment that was taken from a friends property - I have permission from the owner James Keays, who has his own prospecting business, to post it up here as I feel it may get more people aware out there that there is a lot of low life scum  

Please report if you see any of the equipment mentioned below, to James keays via me or to the Creswick police - Also if anyone sees similar items for sale on eBay or GumTree, then please report it. Thanks guys   


James Keays

Took the wife and kids out panning for the 1st time in years only to discover that ALL MY EQUIPMENT WAS STOLEN from my creek. I'm putting the word out now (it HAS to be someone I know and was planned because it would have taken 2 people to lift and carry it through the bush and needed a trailer/ute to take it)...if you took it, you have 1, and I mean 1 chance to return it. If you dont return it, you better hope the police get you before I do. You cant expect to mess with my JOB and there be no consequences. LOW LIFE SCUM...did you WORK to EARN the money to buy it....NO...you just took it. Missing 2 sluice boxes and 2" dredge. Blue 2" pipe on the dredge and the sluice boxes were a huge pontoon type one and a small 2 tiered Keen sluice box. In box me privately if you know who did this.

       

Have you tried ringing DPI        

Lynnie1966 wrote:Gidday members - Just want to let everyone know to keep and eye out for stolen prospecting equipment that was taken from a friends property - I have permission from the owner James Keays, who has his own prospecting business, to post it up here as I feel it may get more people aware out there that there is a lot of low life scum  

Please report if you see any of the equipment mentioned below, to James keays via me or to the Creswick police - Also if anyone sees similar items for sale on eBay or GumTree, then please report it. Thanks guys    


James Keays

Took the wife and kids out panning for the 1st time in years only to discover that ALL MY EQUIPMENT WAS STOLEN from my creek. I'm putting the word out now (it HAS to be someone I know and was planned because it would have taken 2 people to lift and carry it through the bush and needed a trailer/ute to take it)...if you took it, you have 1, and I mean 1 chance to return it. If you dont return it, you better hope the police get you before I do. You cant expect to mess with my JOB and there be no consequences. LOW LIFE SCUM...did you WORK to EARN the money to buy it....NO...you just took it. Missing 2 sluice boxes and 2" dredge. Blue 2" pipe on the dredge and the sluice boxes were a huge pontoon type one and a small 2 tiered Keen sluice box. In box me privately if you know who did this.

 did you say dredge?.... I do sympathise with anyone robbed of their hard earned goods but isn't dredging illegal down that way  , perhaps the authorities ( whoever that is down in mexico) have taken it in?

Wayne. 

someday wrote:          

Have you tried ringing DPI               

So true if these worms came across your gear they would of swiped it for the crown "or possibly themselves" i would explore this avenue!!! Good luck mate i hope you sort this out my thoughts are with you!!  

Are you admitting , in writing , that you were dredging in the state of Victoria ? I think you are in deep s**t.

Ok guys, as some of you are showing concern, admin has followed up the point of the dredge. It is not a piece of equipment that gets used for it's initial purpose (dredging). As the person concerned has a gold tour business he show people as a part of training all aspects/ways which are possible to find gold. We have been told that the dredge does not get used regardless and is only part of his business and tour equipment, therefore we do not have an issue with listing it as one of the items stolen.

Don't you think the laws in Australia are stupid ? You can buy a dredge but not use it. In NSW you can buy covers for your number plate , from K-Mart, but when you drive 50 mts. to their car service area , they say they are illegal , for a pink slip . You have to take them off. Too , too , many laws and too, too many people in government . They are only there to get a big pay packet and pension. Julia will get $500,000 every year for the rest of her life, that is what I read. Just my opion .

How long was the gear left in the creek before he went back ? Even if you think you are in a remote area , some body will turn up, at any hour. That is what I have found out, lock every thing up , even if you think you are in a remote area. I have found this out from experience . [ loss]

Ahh MinerMike,you couldn't be more right in what you say about politicians.I do take it that people here know there's a 4th pay rise coming for all politicians before Christmas this year,since March last year.Imagine that? 4 pay rises in a period of over 19 months? I of all people should know better than to talk politics on a gold detecting and prospecting forum,but it just makes me sick thinking about what the lowest ranked politicians get in pension retirement funds,including fringe concession benefits,which currently stand at well over 4+ times that of the average working class Aussie battler all up.As for the ex prime minister,well,you could say they're in a league of their own.I do apologize for venting my mad political ramblings folks,for this is not the place to talk politics,and will say nothing more concerning politics,unless it involves gold. 

Cheers Kon. 

Kon I reckon you'd be a good bloke to catch up with!  

Um the topic, um, um, like if it is a touristy thing, then um, well um it could be, well, anyone!!
doesn't read that way to me  

I run HISTORIC gold tours...that includes ALL types of prospecting. OWNING a dredge is NOT ILLEGAL. These people need to pull their head in and see the FACTS. It was NEVER mentioned that I USE the dredge just that it was stolen...who's to say it was not handed down from my father or HIS father for that matter. How can I get the word out that my gear was stolen if I can't say WHAT was stolen. By the way...I'm the president of the Ballarat P.M.A.V....I DO know the laws on dredges and would not run a dredge for fear of losing my position. Got'a love these people who judge for afar. James Keays.

agreed, but wouldn't it have been better to clear up some possible misconceptions first!

dredge, your creek, these were sure signs for possible misinterpretation  

You should have stated that you were not "using " the dredge. It would have saved all this.

If you look at the 1st post you will see that I didn't post it...it was copied from another post on facebook and re-posted by someone else.

Gidday ,James
Do you have any pics of the stolen equipment ?
I get into the local forests prospecting around Ballarat quite a bit because I live here .If I know what I`m looking for , I will keep an eye out for you.

Cheers,

Hush Hush

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152218457220744&set=p.10152218457220744&type=1&theater  Almost the same as this...IDK if you can view that? And the other one was a 6 foot long, 1 - 1 and 1/2 foot wide pontoon type with 1" square mesh (without the pontoons) 6-8" round inlet. Sorry but I don't have pics of it. I might have a vid somewhere in my computer? I'll look for it/them and post them if I find them.

No worries. I`ll keep an eye out.

Cheers.
Hush Hush

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152226667145744

Will keep an eye out as I live in the triangle and get out a fair bit. Watched the facebook shot the rig looked great but the kids
and the look on their faces wonderful.

Goodonya James

Hi James,

Sorry to hear about your loss.
I still have my dredge that is gaving dust in the shed, its like trying to part with an old friend.
I was in the creek at Creswick yesterday looking some colour back breaking work with a shovel.
Dredges thay were hard work too, funny how the geenies miss guided fools can ruin something we enjoyed doing.

Smokey22

CostasDee wrote:Ok guys, as some of you are showing concern, admin has followed up the point of the dredge. It is not a piece of equipment that gets used for it's initial purpose (dredging). As the person concerned has a gold tour business he show people as a part of training all aspects/ways which are possible to find gold. We have been told that the dredge does not get used regardless and is only part of his business and tour equipment, therefore we do not have an issue with listing it as one of the items stolen.

This piece of information should have been put up in the O/P !

Gold_Tours wrote:I run HISTORIC gold tours...that includes ALL types of prospecting. OWNING a dredge is NOT ILLEGAL. These people need to pull their head in and see the FACTS. It was NEVER mentioned that I USE the dredge just that it was stolen...who's to say it was not handed down from my father or HIS father for that matter. How can I get the word out that my gear was stolen if I can't say WHAT was stolen. By the way...I'm the president of the Ballarat P.M.A.V....I DO know the laws on dredges and would not run a dredge for fear of losing my position. Got'a love these people who judge for afar. James Keays.

What size was the dredge ? Had you disabled the pump or punched holes in the bottom of the pontoons ? I do agree they knew what they were doing in that they were well organised in the stealing of these items . When was the last time you saw the items that were stolen! Did the scumbags take ALL of your equipment or just the dredge items ? 
I do prospect in an area where there has/ is a lot of dredging taking place so I will keep a look out for your property but as I use an iPad I can't see any of your pics .

CostasDee wrote:Ok guys, as some of you are showing concern, admin has followed up the point of the dredge. It is not a piece of equipment that gets used for it's initial purpose (dredging). As the person concerned has a gold tour business he show people as a part of training all aspects/ways which are possible to find gold. We have been told that the dredge does not get used regardless and is only part of his business and tour equipment, therefore we do not have an issue with listing it as one of the items stolen.

Sorry I don't get it, a likely story (A Dredge Taken from down at the creek)

It is like me saying that I run a "Pig Hunting Tour & Training Business" where by I show these people who pay me to inform them all types of methods to hunt "Pigs" & one of my training aids is an AK47 Assult rifle, we all know they can't be used to hunt pigs or any thing else for that matter because they are illegal.
A "Dredge" is illegal to use for the recovery of gold, so why show people this piece of equipment that can't be used, in my opinion this is wrong & will perpetuate illegal dredging if this education continues.

 

Hey Kon
What are you scratching your head over? more info required mate.