Theft from Giants Hole

[DCA]

DCA have been made aware of a theft of caving gear from Giants Hole over the weekend. Please be cautious, although we hope this is an isolated incident. If anyone was present and may have witnessed anything out of the ordinary, please contact us.
Details of how to report incidents of crime or anti-social behaviour can be seen on the DCA website: https://thedca.org.uk/safety/crime-anti-social-behaviour/

"If you can share this with the wider caving community that would be great. I have reported this to the rural crime team.
Yesterday I was leading a group in Giants. I had rigged Upper West and left a rope in situ to use on the way out. We dropped down Garlands and on climbing back out noticed the cave stank of weed. When we got back to Upper West, I climbed back up and found my rope and karabiners had been taken. I found my bag tucked out of sight (which is branded with my company name).
They left my bag but had even taken the lanyard and snap gate. All in all a new 20m rope and 5 karabiners gone.
I rushed out of the cave but no one was at the carpark.
This is an escalation of just coming in and smoking weed and could prove very dangerous if someone is left stranded somewhere like Garlands then this could be a different situation altogether.
A man and woman were seen up there using phone lights and wearing normal clothes."

 

[paul]

Posts discussing thefts from caves generally moved to new thread in https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?threads/thefts-from-caves-was-from-giants-hole.30376/

 

[Pete K]

Although the reported theft was from another part of this cave, DCA received requests/suggestions for a bolt at the bottom of Garlands Pot so that cavers could tie their ropes off if they wished. There is an 8mm spit on the left just as you are about to enter the Crabwalk passage that I used to use for that purpose, but it has lost its thread. The various big lumps of concrete down there are all of diminishing size these days too. With the DCA Equipment Officer's blessing, I popped down there yesterday and installed a resin anchor near to the original spit. It currently has a tag saying not to touch it before tomorrow (27/3/23), but if a passing caver could take the tag off anytime after lunchtime today I would be grateful.

Pete K
DCA Projects Officer / Regional Anchor Installer