Jan Porter reunited with stolen tackle

One of the sport’s most loved personalities has been reunited with a vast array of his most treasured rods and reels following a heart-breaking robbery at his home.

Shimano’s Jan Porter was left devastated after crooks attacked his Warwickshire home and took almost every item of tackle he had collected over several decades.
Police officers opened an investigation to find those responsible for the crime but ‘The Man in Red’ was finally given reason to smile following a tip off from a friend.

While visiting a West Midlands car boot sale, his friend – who has not been named – approached a dealer who was selling large quantities of fishing tackle and instantly became suspicious after viewing a number of items.

A quick call to Jan helped confirm that he had stumbled across a large batch of his tackle and police were quickly summoned to the scene.

“I spoke to officers over the phone and they asked me to describe some of the items that had gone missing. I’ve done a lot of modifications to my gear and they soon realised they had found what they had been looking for,” explained Jan.

“I’ve had 27 rods and 11 reels returned and money can’t buy a lot them – they have a lot of sentimental value for various reasons and it’s remarkable that I’ve got them back.”

“It’s been a tough few weeks since it happened and I’d given up all hope of ever seeing any of it again. This has been a real boost to me and I’m overwhelmed at the amount of support the whole of the angling community has given me,” he added.

Experts have now been drafted in to install a sophisticated security system at Jan’s property as he continues to rebuild his armoury of equipment and he is now urging others to follow his lead. He said: “Fishing tackle costs a lot of money and its important people take measures to protect it. Make sure it’s locked away and out of sight to stop thieves in the act.”