The Environment Agency and Cambridgeshire Police are encouraging boaters to keep reporting crimes, by setting up a new email address for the Boat Watch scheme.
 
Boaters on the Rivers Nene and Great Ouse are being urged to sign up to the Boat Watch scheme by emailing boatwatch@cambs.pnn.police.uk, and boaters already signed up are being asked to report any incidences of crime or antisocial behaviour that they encounter.
 
The Cambridgeshire Boat Watch scheme was set up in May 2007 as a joint partnership between the Environment Agency, Cambridgeshire Police, the Great Ouse Boating Association (GOBA) and the Association of Nene River Clubs (ANRC) to help combat crime on our waterways.
 
The scheme, dubbed Neighbourhood Watch on Water, encourages boaters and marina operators in Cambridgeshire to display a Boat Watch sticker, to report all incidents of boat crime and antisocial behaviour to the police – and mention Boat Watch when they call or email. 
 
Since the scheme started, Cambridgeshire Police have been collating all incidents reported under the Boat Watch banner in order to send out regular email updates on crime on the rivers to boat watch members. Although theft tops the list of crimes reported, police also want to hear about other incidents such as vandalism and threatening behaviour.
 
Carol Aston, Boat Watch co-ordinator for Cambridgeshire police said: ‘Signing up to Boat Watch and displaying the Boat Watch sticker shows potential thieves that boat owners in Cambridgeshire are united in the fight against boat-related crime.
 
‘With 250 miles of waterways and more than 5,000 boat owners in the Anglian region, we need to work together to reduce opportunities for criminals to commit crime – and that means reporting all crimes committed on or near the waterway, be that theft, bridge jumping or any other anti social behaviour.’
 
Boaters who sign up to the Boat Watch scheme by email will receive two boat watch stickers – for each side of the boat – and a leaflet explaining how the scheme works. They will also receive regular email updates of reported crime on the waterways, to help them increase security and avoid being victims of crime themselves.
 
John Adams, Anglian Waterways manager for the Environment Agency said: ‘We hope that by increasing awareness of these problems, boaters and the police can work together to tackle crime and antisocial behavior.
 
‘Boaters should keep reporting crimes by calling Cambridgeshire Police on 0845 4564564 and also sign up to the Boat Watch email list by using the new Boat Watch email address. We actively encourage boaters to participate in this scheme and urge them to keep their boats and belongings secure.’