8 comments so far.Dive trucks in Gozo resorts being targeted by thieves
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This morning at Xwejni Bay, thieves broke into a dive truck and stole money, mobile phones and a watch whilst the divers were in the water.
Despite the area being busy with tourists and the vehicle being locked and secured, the thieves managed to gain access without drawing any attention to themselves.
A similar crime took place just a few weeks ago at Reqqa when another dive centre’s vehicle was targeted.
“This is not the first time this has happened recently,” says David Hayler-Montague, owner at Bubbles Dive Centre “and there is clearly an organised gang targeting the diving industry. What’s disappointing for me is the lack of action that appears to be taken by the authorities to stamp out this kind of criminal behaviour which is not only damaging the reputation of diving in Malta and Gozo but also the wider tourism industry.”
The theft has been reported to police and any witnesses are being urged to come forward.
This is probably going to sound like a far too logical idea, but why don’t they leave someone to take care of the trucks and equipment whilst they are diving?
Yes it may be logical but why should there be a need .would you ask the same question if someone’s house was broken into .also who would stay behind a member of the dive center and if so who pays . Does the diver take on the expense
@james. agree with you, at this time of year when the schools are on holiday could the dive centres not give a summer job to one of the senior kids, and as for paying them, make an arrangement with them, teach them to dive for free as payment…
@James Tyrrell – Why don’t we just tell all visiting tourists to stay in their hotel rooms in case their valuables are stolen? Or perhaps tell them it would be safer for them not to visit Gozo?
If there is a problem with vehicles being broken into the police should step up patrols in the area and catch those responsible, which should not be a difficulty on such a small island.
the police and armed forces are supposed to patrol dive sites, but they do not have the man power, i have had a conversation with a dive shop owner and there response is ” its not our job to police our dive sites and why should we pay for someone to watch over our trucks and customers belongings” customer service !!
right, so ask the mta to subsidise the wages to employ people to work for the dive centres, work experience programs !!
its in their interest as well as the diving community to do something about this, and as i said before, train these people to dive as part of the package, look at it as increasing the local diver market, because if one person learns to dive he will have several friends who would like to learn to dive, look at it as a solution to the problem today and an investment in future trade, to me its so simple, but typical Maltese short sighted attitude !!
@mickh911 – Typical Maltese Short Sighted Attitude you say?
It is yours and Mr Tyrrells solution of guards paid by the dive schools which is short sighted. When the thieves realise that the dive vehicles are guarded, what do you think they will do?
They will of course simply go and steal elsewhere, where there are no such guards.
And as you seem to be so knowledgeable about Maltese affairs, could you kindly enlighten us all as to what exactly our police personnel are supposed to be so busy doing?
Are they out scouring our fields looking for illegal hunters and trappers, or perhaps busy catching all the bad drivers which you regularly complain about?
They could of course be busy stamping out all the under age drinking and late night loud music I suppose…………but that would still leave them free to patrol tourist parking areas during daylight hours.
@David thomson. I would suggest that it is up to each of us to make sure our homes can’t be broken into or at least make it as hard as possible. Mine for example would be extremely difficult to anyone because I would prefer it not to happen. I have found that house security on Gozo is a bit of a joke though as most houses could be entered using nothing more than a penknife!
@mickh911. I agree with you 100%. The dive schools need to understand that this is how they make their money and show some sort of responsibility to protect the belongings of divers. As for your suggestion that they could employ some young guy during the holidays and pay him by teaching him to dive, excellent idea.
@R Caruana. So once the thieves realise that the dive vehicles are guarded they will go and steal somewhere else. Hello!!! Isn’t that the idea here? As for the police stepping up patrols, yeah right. I have been coming to Gozo for many years now and frequent quite a few dive sites. How many police patrols have I seen in these areas in all those years? None.
@R Caruana
you seem pretty knowledgeable already about what the police are not doing,
i was suggesting a solution to the problem, the diving industry looking after their customers and getting people into employment,
tourism and in particular diving is the bread and butter of these islands so its upto the authoritys and mta to work with the diving sector to solve the problem