Thieves steal life-saving communications equipment

Volunteer watchkeepers at the station help keep people safe along the coast

Thieves have stolen life-saving equipment at a volunteer Coastwatch station in Ramsgate.

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) said vital radio communications equipment used to alert the coastguard when people are in difficulty at sea or along the coast had been taken.

They warned the theft of the aerial could cost lives.

Vandals have targeted the station at Winterstoke Gardens six other times since it opened in May 2024, according to the NCI, stealing aerials and putting glue into locks.

An empty base was left where an aerial was stolen

“We are all volunteers sharing the same mission which is to keep a daily watch for people in danger around our coast," said station manager Paul Waterman.

"Without our equipment, we cannot do this vital public safety work."

The NCI said the damage stretched its already limited finances, which relied on donations from the community.

“We are now in the expensive process of repairing and replacing the lost and vandalised equipment so that we can continue our work and we’d very much welcome any support,” added Mr Waterman.

Wiring for the aerial was cut at the station

He urged anyone with information about the incident, which was discovered on Friday, to contact Kent Police.

Kent Police said it had been "made aware of potential metal theft from an organisation" and that officers were carrying out inquiries to establish the full circumstances.

The NCI, a registered charity, operates nearly 60 stations around the coasts of England and Wales.

Its stations are staffed by over 2,600 qualified volunteers, who are trained in reading maritime charts, operating VHF radios and interpreting weather and tides.