Secret Seven Fan Club

[pete9012S]

The theft of Ian's leather jacket (cont'd)

Some interesting thoughts and helpful hints have been posed by those kind enough to have stumbled upon this thread.

Regarding John's helpful points: No sightings.Good point that. Neighbours opposite have never let on to anyone in the 22years I have lived here.Bit of a mystery in itself that I'd say!

Dogs not barking definitely suspicious,although robbery happened when Brenda was away with her dogs visiting relatives.
Inside job. hadn't thought of that. Brenda did go slightly strange when I tried to talk about the robbery.Could be suspicious,or due to the fact that she never locks her car,house,shed and feels embarrassed?

Sue's suggestion is interesting.One of the younger relatives who was house minding is himself in the marine's.Could he have taken the jacket thinking it had been abandoned by Ian (now in Iraq)?

Coming to Anita's tips I tried to observe how many people were wearing leather jackets as I went into the village today to use the bank.

I only saw one man in a leather jacket.It didn't look like it could be Ian's.The man was wearing cream slacks,brown brogues,a shirt and tie.I tried to get a photo anyway to practice my surveillance skills,but as he was using the card cash machine at the bank and looked a little nervous as I sidled up to him, I decided against it.

We don't have any Second hand shops locally,only tons of charity shops,although I can't see any pecuniary advantage for a thief going down this route...
Yes,reports of burglaries,shed break ins and confidence tricksters/bogus callers have been in the local news lately...

The only clue I noticed in the drive was a single white feather.Could it be the thieves unique calling card? Or had it just floated down from the nearby tree?

Will leave it there for now and discuss the suspects I have added to my list on my next post....

[Julie2owlsdene]

All good theories, and of course, he could have been invisible!

[Moonraker]

[repairs to the whisky cupboard for a large dram and a shot of valium]

[pete9012S]

Here's the view of the crime scene taken over the fence at the bottom of my garden.
A few points to add to the theft of Ian's leather jacket.

SUSPECTS

I must be totally impartial here and include absolutely everyone - you've read Roger Ackroyd you know what I mean.
Two people called at my door a day or two before the robbery.

1.A very rough and ready man banged on my door at 8.30am and demanded if I knew of any flats in the general area....he seemed surprised that I was in when I answered the door.

2.A day or two later a young,rough talking woman in her twenties banged on my door about 2.30pm and thrust an ID card in my face.
She said she wanted cash for the "........." cancer appeal. I contacted the charity she represented and they said they had not sent anyone to my area to solicit cash aggressively from people on the doorstep.

3.The Gasman I wasn't expecting him,but he came back the next day to read my meter and Brenda's with official I.D. and drove an official Gas board van.

4.Free newspaper boy He's been coming for years hail,rain or shine and seems honest enough.

5.Inside Job Brenda's grandson.Fancied the jacket for himself and Brenda is covering for him in case Ian (in Iraq) finds out and causes trouble.

5.Brenda Could she want the jacket for herself? Seems unlikely,given she is around seventy seven now and doesn't wear that sort of clothing.

6.Myself Yes,seems unlikely,but I've read a lot of Agatha Christie,and I wouldn't be the first person to investigate a crime that I myself had committed.

I will leave it there for now,but I will carry on with the investigation in due course....

[anneshiningstar]

6.Myself Yes,seems unlikely,but I've read a lot of Agatha Christie,and I wouldn't be the first person to investigate a crime that I myself had committed..

maybe you stole it in you sleep.have you been seen sleep walking before?

[pete9012S]

The more I think about this case I am becoming convinced that one of Brenda's grandson's 'friends' is more than likely the thief.

Brenda is definitely cagey about the whole affair.I get the impression her young relatives had quite a party in her house whilst she was away.
She obviously does not want to tell Ian that one of her grandsons 'friends' has nicked his leather jacket for fear of a possible confrontation within the family.
As both men are fully fledged marines,expert in hand to hand to hand combat she would want to avoid trouble at all costs.

Her solution? Invent a burglary,and tell us her next door neighbours so we can back up her story with Ian when he visits in a few months time.
John's point is right.Our own dog would have barked like mad if anyone came into the garden and mooched around the shed.

It reminds me of the Sherlock Holmes story about the curious incident of the dog that barked in the night...or something like that I think it was called?

She left her grandson in charge of the house and I could see through the bay window on the night of the party heaps of people all drinking and listening to music.

There could have been friends of friends friends there and consequently someone has take a shine to Ian's leather jacket,believing it wouldn't be missed.

That I think is my theory on this mystery.
So unless the thief suddenly develops a conscience,or Brenda's grandson gets a tip off about who it is,I think there is little chance of Ian (currently in Iraq) getting his leather jacket back......

[John Pickup]

As I thought, an inside job. By the way, Pete, we never used the password once solving that little mystery!

[pete9012S]

Thanks John.
We need a new password for March.Any suggestions?

Anyone else got a mystery or puzzle for the club too?

[pete9012S]

Jig Saw Puzzle Puzzle



Here's another little mystery - admittedly only small so don't get too excited!

Here is a Famous Five jig-saw with some pieces missing.
Nothing mysterious about that.



But,looking at the pictures of the jig saw I noticed something odd:

Can you spot what is odd in the the picture above and help solve this mystery?

[Julie2owlsdene]

I would if I could see the picture, Pete. It's no bigger than a match box!!

Is it something to do with the signature!

[pete9012S]

Yes,the signature - keep going....

[Poppy]

In the picture showing the pieces, surely there is the head of a black and white dog, yet in the completed picture, there isn't?

Five on a Windy Day

[pete9012S]

Very good Poppy.So what conclusions can we draw from this??
ps would you like some orangeade and a home made cookie??

[Poppy]

Mmm, yes please!

Well, looking at Anne's face on a piece of the jigsaw - it doesn't quite match the one in the completed picture either - in fact I'm sure she must be wearing a yellow dress in the jigsaw piece picture and in the jigsaw her dress is pink. So presuming you are talking about the one being sold on eBay - perhaps the seller was selling a few FF jigsaws and thought they could get away with photographing just the one picture of the jigsaw pieces...?

[pete9012S]

Your detective skills are impressive - but you're moving slightly away from the real mystery....Julie was on the right lines...