Woman left homeless after canal boat stolen

A woman who was made homeless when her boat was stolen and stripped to a shell wants the people responsible to be arrested.

Jolita Velickiene was forced to live in her car for four weeks after thieves took her boat from along the Trent and Mersey Canal in Derbyshire.

She tracked down her boat with the help of the Canal and River Trust, and said she witnessed a group of men removing the contents while she waited for police.

However, when police arrived, officers did not make any arrests.

"This was my house, now it's just a shell," said Ms Velickiene.

"They made me feel very upset, because what do you do when you lose your house?

"I want them punished; they cannot steal boats and just do whatever they like."

The BBC asked Derbyshire Police why the men were not arrested.

A force spokesperson said: "Investigations are ongoing after reports of a boat being stolen near Mercia Marina in Willington.

"The theft was reported to the Canal and River Trust and not the force.

"However, the force did receive a call from the owner of the boat on Saturday 11 May to say they had located the vessel. It has since been recovered and returned to the owner."

After being asked again about any arrests, the spokesperson added: "When the boat was recovered officers spoke with a man who said he had legally bought the boat weeks before and inquiries are ongoing into the circumstances of who sold him the boat."

It is believed the boat was taken between 29 March and 2 April, while Ms Velickiene was away.

She reported the theft to the Canal and River Trust (CRT), the charity responsible for maintaining canals in England and Wales.

A CRT volunteer then spotted the boat several weeks later, and the CRT contacted Ms Velickiene to tell her where it was.

By then, the boat had been moved about six miles (10km) east, and was near to Lowes Lane in Swarkestone.

Ms Velickiene went there with her sister, identified her boat, then called police and waited on a nearby bridge.

While waiting for police, she witnessed the men removing the contents and painting the boat.

"I have pictures of what they did with my cupboards," she said. "They just broke it, it was all on the side and they were trying to burn it in this can thing."

When police arrived, officers spoke to the men and Ms Velickiene was allowed to take her boat back after showing CRT documentation as proof it belonged to her.

However, she feels frustrated that police did not arrest the men.

"Police are there to protect you, I don't feel protected," she said. "My boat has been stolen, yes I got it back, but how do I feel safe?

"I'm a woman, as you see. I'm scared to go that way. I'm never, ever coming back that way."

The boat was recovered on Saturday 11 May, and Ms Velickiene has since moved it away from Derbyshire.

However, this has been difficult to do due to the boat's outboard motor being removed.

She and her son have had to pull the boat along the canal using a rope while standing on the towpath.

Other boaters have also helped by towing the boat some of the way.

She has contacted her insurance company and hopes her boat can be repaired.

In a statement, the CRT added: "This has been a really shocking and upsetting experience for the owner of the boat and our hearts go out to them as they piece their home back together.

"Thankfully this type of incident is rare and we're happy to have played a small part in getting the boat back to its rightful owner."

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.