Metal detectorist charged over thefts from Lincolnshire fields

[R2tag]

A metal detectorist has been found guilty of theft after illegally searching for historic artefacts in fields in Lincolnshire.
Operation Totem was launched in February 2011 to combat illegal metal detecting, sometimes referred to as nighthawking, in the Horncastle area after members of the farming community reported damage to crops and artefacts being stolen from the ground. As part of the operation, a team of officers from Horncastle, assisted by South Yorkshire Police and English Heritage, obtained a search warrant at an address in Rotherham.
Kevin Thomas Lomas, 41, was arrested following the discovery of a large quantity of coins and historic artefacts at his home, along with metal detecting equipment.
Over the next year, enquires were carried out to identify the property seized and gather evidence. Some items were taken to the British Museum and examined by experts.
Lomas was eventually charged with 12 offences relating to the investigation and appeared at Skegness Magistrates Court.
He was found guilty of eight counts of theft and one offence of going equipped to steal.
An order was made forcing him to forfeit his metal detection equipment and associated items.
He received a 12-month condition discharge and was ordered to pay £400 towards costs.
Sergeant Alasdair Booth, of Horncastle Police, said: “This case send out a clear message that illegal metal detecting and heritage crime will be taken seriously.
"Many people seem to hold the opinion that metal detecting is a harmless hobby and feel that they have a right to roam and use their equipment at will, where they like, without permission or any likelihood of facing the consequences of their illegal actions.
"While there are many responsible people who legitimately enjoy metal detecting with the permission of land owners, whilst using the proper channels to register and dispose of items that they may find, there are a small minority who persist in operating outside the law.”
“Mr Lomas has lost his equipment, a number of artefacts, paid costs and now has a criminal record as result of his actions. Behaviour such as his removes part of our heritage and will not be tolerated.”
Mark Harrison, from English Heritage, said: "Cases of unlawful metal detecting have been prosecuted before, but this is the first time we have taken such a co-ordinated team approach, involving an expert lawyer, dedicated police investigators, finds experts and archaeologists."



http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/...ail/story.html

[John Winter]

I don't think that this night hawker and thief deserves the appellation 'metal detectorist'.

[Iron Mask]

Only a slap on the wrist. What a weak justice system. Seems similar to the one we have in Canada. No balls..

[Tombs]

that's rubbish, he was probably back out detecting the next day, at worst that cost him £2000, whats that? a couple of gold staters?

[Captainpugwash]

Terrible they should have been jailed for at least 6 months and made an example of, it would have sent a clear message out to all. The law as gone soft. I once asked to join the Majestry and then got turned down because of my veiws. I suppose they would have called me "The Hanging Captain"

[Cumbrian Fox]

Apparently there is more to this story than has been told. The lad did have permission off the farmer,but the farmer was Not the land owner,and it was the land owner that took him to court. It was posted in another F/B group a few days back. So make sure you have permission off he land owner as well as the farmer.. Just shows we should never believe everything in the papers until we get the full details.

[Ted]

Another chance missed by this countries softly softly approach to a serious crime (probably because our prisons are full and of course we do not pay enough tax to build and staff new ones do we? What is it with the Brits? Our government are too interested in giving money in 'foreign' aid and we just sit by while our standard of living drops like a lead spindle whorl!)

Be interested to see if this is one of those lazy scroungers I and others work hard to pay for. I have bearly got the time to get out detecting....yet lazy scroungers are free to do it when they want....and with their mindset that the state ows them everything...where they want.

[Ted]

Apparently there is more to this story than has been told. The lad did have permission off the farmer,but the farmer was Not the land owner,and it was the land owner that took him to court. It was posted in another F/B group a few days back. So make sure you have permission off he land owner as well as the farmer.. Just shows we should never believe everything in the papers until we get the full details.

The fact it got to court shows that there is more to this than just a wrong permission. If the person had permission off the farmer but that same person did not know the farmer did not own the land, it would not of lead to a criminal prosecution.....definately would not constitute a dawn raid, seizure of your equipment....this is the softly softly don't upset anyone dishonest, UK remember

How many of us ask for permission then ask the farmer giving the permission if he/she has actually got the right to give permission? I guess a farmer would turn around, call you a cheeky so and so and tell you to get off his land if you did!

A simple contract drawn up between you and the farmer (signed) should be sufficient to prevent confusion.

[dave9]

Apparently there is more to this story than has been told. The lad did have permission off the farmer,but the farmer was Not the land owner,and it was the land owner that took him to court. It was posted in another F/B group a few days back. So make sure you have permission off he land owner as well as the farmer.. Just shows we should never believe everything in the papers until we get the full details.

That may or not be the case Dave but why would someone from Rotherham be detecting in Horncastle.Must be a good 140 mile round trip,sound's a bit dodgy to say the least.They should lock them up,in my view,no smoke without fire

[Cumbrian Fox]

I agree with you all on this subject and feel the same way in respect to lock them up and save us from a bad rep. But it would be nice if the papers got the full story to print and not just storm in with a headline like that which farmers and public see then think the worst about us all. I dont think any of us will be seen in a good light when headlines like that hit the media.

[Tombs]

The fact it got to court shows that there is more to this than just a wrong permission. If the person had permission off the farmer but that same person did not know the farmer did not own the land, it would not of lead to a criminal prosecution.....definately would not constitute a dawn raid, seizure of your equipment....this is the softly softly don't upset anyone dishonest, UK remember

How many of us ask for permission then ask the farmer giving the permission if he/she has actually got the right to give permission? I guess a farmer would turn around, call you a cheeky so and so and tell you to get off his land if you did!

A simple contract drawn up between you and the farmer (signed) should be sufficient to prevent confusion.

i always ask if they own or just farm the land, it saves getting busted and thrown in the slammer

[Steve Bowles]

You've got the National Trust, English Heritage, Forestry Commission, DEFRA and every county archaeologist aligned against metal detecting. Won't be long until even private property is off limits. Government agencies would rather have heritage items rot underground than have a member of the public get the chance to recover them. Besides, the museums don't have the money to keep paying "fair market value" (joke) to metal detectorists lucky enough to find and report treasure. It's just their way of showing us who has the power.

[fertler]

[QUOTE=Steve Bowles;209105]and every county archaeologist aligned against metal detecting.

Steve - it may surprise you to know that the Norfolk Archaeologists are not, and never have been, against detectorists. I have 37 years of experience of them as detectorist and Chairman (for most of that time) of the East Norfolk Metal Detecting Society. We have our FLO and between one and three other archaeologists at every monthly meeting.

Barrie.

[marcinch1979]

why would someone from Rotherham be detecting in Horncastle.Must be a good 140 mile round trip,sound's a bit dodgy to say the least

only 140
my 2 farms are 200 miles one way so I must be dodgy as....

[jerrykerry]

MMmmm
Wonder how many peeps have permission from landowner AND farmer.......

[dave9]

only 140
my 2 farms are 200 miles one way so I must be dodgy as....

How often do you detect them?That's a long way from home to travel.Alot of people travel to other county's at night is the point i'm making,as is the case in Lincolnshire.Anyway he was obviously dodgy

[Cumbrian Fox]

How often do you detect them?That's a long way from home to travel.Alot of people travel to other county's at night is the point i'm making,as is the case in Lincolnshire.Anyway he was obviously dodgy

There are 4 members of the Furness Finders club travel 200 miles every weekend to Lincolnshire from when the 1st crops come of the permission they have (Peas) until they can no longer detect the land due to new crops going in or the 1st shoots start to show. The Landowner actually rings one of them to let them know when this is happening. All 4 of them drive and take turns in driving. Thats how dedicated to detecting they are and they have found some very nice items from all periods. They have also given the Landowner a considerable amount of the coins and other items they have found and made him a display case. I dont think that the "how far away" argument should really matter in this. I would be willing to travel every weekend to a great site at the same distance if I had a great site to detect as well.

[dave9]

That's a fair point Dave and good luck to them,but not the one i am getting at.Unfortunately most of the crime's committed round here to do with metal detecting,hare coursing,farm theft's etc are from people from other part's of the country.It's harder now to get a farmer to let you detect because of this.I know most are honest but a few alway's spoil it for other's.I often here of farmer's having run in's with people and most have come from away and not local.I suppose they don't like doing the obvious on there own doorstep. Point proven by the start of this thread

[marcinch1979]

Im not worried about "my" farms, gamekeepers watching this fields 24/7 if You will go there without permission, 2 4x4 with "nice" lads on board will be with You in less than 5 mins

[dave9]

Im not worried about "my" farms, gamekeepers watching this fields 24/7 if You will go there without permission, 2 4x4 with "nice" lads on board will be with You in less than 5 mins

That's the best way to deal with those that are intent in killing the hobby

[graham dale]

That may or not be the case Dave but why would someone from Rotherham be detecting in Horncastle.Must be a good 140 mile round trip,sound's a bit dodgy to say the least.They should lock them up,in my view,no smoke without fire

Not dodgy at all. I do that run regularly from Huddersfield which is even further,Have a look in this months Searcher and you`ll get an idea why.

[dave9]

Not dodgy at all. I do that run regularly from Huddersfield which is even further,Have a look in this months Searcher and you`ll get an idea why.

I think i made my point which was aimed at the bloke convicted.He was observed coming into Lincolnshire at night,leaving at dawn on several time's.Now that is dodgy and proved so.It is not aimed at anyone else who travel's long distance's ,just the one's that come night hawking.Why would anyone want to detect at night coming from mile's away ?

[Ted]

That's a fair point Dave and good luck to them,but not the one i am getting at.Unfortunately most of the crime's committed round here to do with metal detecting,hare coursing,farm theft's etc are from people from other part's of the country.It's harder now to get a farmer to let you detect because of this.I know most are honest but a few alway's spoil it for other's.I often here of farmer's having run in's with people and most have come from away and not local.I suppose they don't like doing the obvious on there own doorstep. Point proven by the start of this thread

Gotta agree. Just last weekend finally made contact with a farmer to try and get a permission I have been after a long long time. Unfortunately due to mindless idiots going on his land with metal detectors without permission it was a no go before I even asked. His exact words: "Thanks for asking first but it seems if I give you permission then that is an ok for anyone who sees you detecting to come on my land without asking." I replied that I was sorry he had a bad experience with so called detectorists. I found myself agreeing with him that because of his experience I should not be allowed on his land! Damn IDIOTS!

[Pat Watson]

You've got the National Trust, English Heritage, Forestry Commission, DEFRA and every county archaeologist aligned against metal detecting. Won't be long until even private property is off limits. Government agencies would rather have heritage items rot underground than have a member of the public get the chance to recover them.

The US has been exactly the same way for as long as I can remember. But finally....FINALLY....there are some GOOD things happening between metal detecting and archaeology. Hopefully it's just the beginning!

I made the comment to someone last weekend that one "aw s**t" could negate a HUNDRED "well done"'s in this hobby....sad. People are more ready to believe negative stuff about a detectorist than positive! Ugh.