Barston Carp Theft

Fish worth over £2,000 stolen from Midlands venue.
The prolific Barston Lakes near Solihull is famous among specimen carp, and match anglers alike – and has a deserved reputation for being among the country’s most prolific fishing venues. However, last Thursday night it was the victim of a fish theft.

Anglers who have visited the venue before cannot have failed to notice the clubhouse’s novel koi carp pond, which is housed in the giant ornamental fountain at the front of the club house. At 10 pm last Thursday, 7th November thieves struck however, stealing an estimated £2,000 worth of koi carp, including individual fish to almost 10lb in weight.

Venue owner, Nigel Harrhy explained: “Whoever carried out the theft has obviously fished at the venue before, and judging by the net used I think that they are probably carp anglers. The time they chose to strike also makes me think that they know we are not open on Thursdays – and took full advantage of the fact. What really worries me is the fact that they have been so brazen – if they are prepared to steal carp from an ornamental fountain in front of a clubhouse, how many have they nicked from the main lake?”

Fortunately, a CCTV camera focuses on the fountain, so the whole thing has been captured on CCTV, and the footage is available to view on the video below. The fishery is offering a £500 reward for information leading to the capture of the culprits, so anyone with any information should call Barston on: 01675 444890

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