My “Canoeing” Death Hoax: Back From the Dead | Real Stories Full-Length Documentary 

I know. That drove me crazy. Nobody goes out into the open ocean in a canoe!

Calm Down!

Canoe, kayak. Tomato, tomatoe.

The guy who wrote the book talked about this. Basically 'canoe' got mentioned in the press and stuck on people's minds, so they just continued with it. Imagine the police issuing a statement, 'Erm, we would like to clarify the difference between a kayak and a canoe'. If it had been a ringo, the fraud was the most important story.

@@danjames4086 Also, in the UK, a kayak is considered a subtype of a canoe.

GUMBALL

Why ?

Touche!

well, he was alive and he got them back, alls well that ends well.

ya well that's their job, they signed up for it, don't discriminate, it makes everything worse!

You’re butthurt about that? It’s their job nobody’s forcing them 😂

I agree endangering lives for his own personal gain it's disgraceful!😒✌️

Not really he only speaks briefly to one of them.

@@A.Briggs628 grass

@@andyfowler8274 No, she's not a grass at all! Nobody in their right mind would get involved in their husband's criminal activities. Many ppl would report it to the police..

@@A.Briggs628 More ppl agree with you than Andy! Have a great day and don't give him a second thought.😁

@@nicolelillis2077 so we have 2 grasses on this thread

@@andyfowler8274 😅🤣😂

Because she pleaded not guilty.

🤭🌊🛶

Maybe he thought the insurance co was a bank making loans😂

Wave goodbye to his past life.

☺️ I doubt he realized the pun in that.

Better than going to a loan shark 🦈

They could've found out somehow eventually, that's unacceptable not to tell.

Because..... Its the truth.

Lying to children about their family heritage never ends well.

The media would have investigated the source of his fake name and ID, and would have publicized it. Rather the family find out from investigators before that happens.

me too, they are obviously very upset, over reacting in my opinion, nothing to be gained from telling them at all. it was a victimless crime in my opinion, and they saying he is the lowest form of life ect,

But no one would listen to a town full of people that hung a monkey!

​​@@richardgraham65 it wasn't us it was our anstrestors they thaught it was a French spy 🙊 😂

@@mckenna9489😂😂😂

Yep, I think locals knew the story didn't add up. He was spotted out and about by people who knew him.

I'm subscribed to your channel, best of luck!!

I subscribed to your channel.

@@KP-rh5qz Thank you! Let us know if you what you think about. Bye,

I'm subscribed. You have a good channel. I was subscribed already before watching this. Real stories do some stellar documentaries aswell. But I like your channel.

Thank you, cobra kai!

Because he knew the game was up. He was just sick of lying and running. The stress was taking its toll.

@@yodenmannah it wasn’t. So when they got a place in Panama the British police needed to confirm his identity. Of course he couldn’t do that being ‘dead’ he could have had Anne do it but no the narcissist thinks he knows best so he thought this plan would work. That’s the real reason he had to come back

His Wife suggested exactly that. Have you watched the documentary?!🤔 The bankruptcy would not have provided the money that the lifestyle Darwin wanted to live.

In England it's different then in the U.S. The Banks would have taken everything. You can even go to prison for it.

He was terrified if bankruptcy. Basically the banks would have sold off everything at the minimum they needed to cleae the debt. He knew the market value of his property was much higher. He didn't just want to cleae the debt; he wanted to clear the debt AND pocket the profits. Bankruotcy would have left him with nothing.

That's the British justice system for you. Life for murder 15 years, some people have been out in 9 years for good behaviour..

Yes. Ridiculous.

Ikr they were successful in the con! I feel so bad for their sons. I don’t blame them for cutting off contact. I do wonder if there’s any money left and where is it 🤔 I hope the sons have it.

Then include his wife!

Yeah, very hilarious - not - especially if they happened to be your parents.

Yeah that was rather a stupid way to get caught! Their sons are assholes! lol

They said he only showed up at the police station because he knew the gig was up.

Exactly

I agree 💯

I agree, what an idiot, and she has children!!!

Then they acted all dramatic about it like they were victims....LOL

There's several of them. They're everywhere! YT needs to get it together!

Report them

So the whole story is founded on a lie?😂

Correct! Not a canoe. It's a kayak! Good eye Mr. Jetson!

Thank you! It's like they don't even do research anymore. Just write a story, slap some random stock footage, throw it on the internet, get paid, then do it all over again.

@@andrewsupp6693 When this case broke, many years ago, the British press coined the term "Canoe Man". Clearly it stuck. The error in boat type was pointed out at the time, in various media.

@@charleswhite758 Ahh, so it was the Brits fault! *shakes fist angrily*

He probably didnt want to sell his property and also wanted to be rich. Selling his property that He still owed mortgages on he prob wouldn't get much back. Then he also is left without the houses as an asset. He was just to greedy!!

Probably had made personal guarantees on the loans, so the banks could come after all his assets.

Famously this trick was first publicised by author Frederick Forsyth in "The Day of the Jackal" as the Jackal used it to adopt a fake persona.

The system is base on trust, until people abuse it.

whoah

Yes, I remember when this happened too!

@@te2393 The system is built by those who wanted to abuse it.

WHAT... They were both up for it. Always the Man is the nasty person while the Woman is innocent. I cannot believe a Mother would do that to her children. Both are scheming people.

2 peas in a pod mate, don't let her sheepish act fool you.

Of course not then she claims she's a victim...lol

Wonder if that woman ever did give him any return on his investment money? Or does she just get to say 'poor me' and keep it?

@@newgabe09 She scammed him out of the money with no consequences yet acted like a victim!

-perpetrators always- -think they are the victims .. !-

😂😂😂

I was wondering what happened with all that, because I figured after he sent her those threatening emails she had the right to use his money to protect herself and she deserves some payment for pain and anguish. It felt like he was taking all of his frustrations from his situation out on her.

Money

Public records, open society. Surely whoever he showed it to should have asked for further proof of ID with the same name on it, that's the problem.

There's an easy solution. Stop buying insurance. You'll probably drive better so it will significantly increase your odds of living a long life! And that skydiving! That's GOTTA stop. Its almost impossible faking a death and collecting life insurance. What people don't realize is the insurance company who is fighting to not have to pay a huge claim, is far more determined to prove the death was faked than the police! And they have way more resources to throw at the problem than the police. That's why the smart people that need to disappear never, ever involve life insurance. Its by far the biggest motivation: A quick payout. Plus it was usually purchased just before they mysteriously vanished. The main legit reason people need to disappear is an abusive partner. Women are lucky in this area as a different hair style and color can radically change how they look. Add the frequent use of hats and glasses, especially those with a dark tint and they can be very hard to identify or recognize. And with the pandemic facemasks complete the process.

People rarely have their money organized in a way to make this happen suddenly. The ones that can prepare plan for years ahead and disappear in a heartbeat. You have to have a lot of cash squirreled away because any use of plastic can be tracked. Its a lot harder now than it ever used to be. 10x harder now unless you enjoy living in the wilderness which not one in a thousand urban dwellers have the skills to manage. I bet a lot of people needing to get away from their present life vanish in Mexico. That's one big country to get lost in.

Your friend sounds so cheap!

She’s so bloody dozy it’s no wonder she didn’t notice you😂

If he'd kept the houses he'd be a millionaire today.

@@A.Briggs628 I like how the scammer in the U.S. also acted like a victim even though she stole his money! lol

Actually, once they were in Panama, the pair discovered that it's illegal to live or work in that country without having your identity confirmed by British authorities. With a false passport, that idea was obviously a non-starter. One of the many weird things about this case is that he actually thought the Police would buy the amnesia story.

@@eileenflannigan709 Exactly!

Its really, really hard to reinvent yourself when you're on the run. You have to develop different interests, habits, work, appearance, it wears people out. The fatigue builds over the years til they can't take it anymore. The crime may have only lasted a few minutes but boy do they pay for that in their own prison sentence of isolation. He made so many mistakes its a miracle he wasn't found out right away.

Exactly, nothing but crocodile tears to feed the media - he deliberately too the name as to not hurt anyone living. People should really be asking how public records are recorded, and how a death certificate does not nullify the use of the previous birth certificate! He did no harm to the family of the dead child, sickening to watch them blubbering on about it being the worst thing a man could do, get in the real world - Murder, Rape, paedophiles? That family were coaxed to cry for the cameras, they didn't appear to have the intelligence to think that one up. The one person I felt sorry for was for Kelley Steele.

This is about 20 years old. So, it was 52 years ago at the time of filming. But yeah, it was a bit over dramatic. It's sad, but he lived for 5 weeks and died before his siblings were born. How many "memories" can they really have? To cry was ridiculous.....

@@pogo9876they might see a chance to get some money out of it .. ? I don’t know. People also feel so much hate to ..-..whatever… it’s maybe a good opportunity for 🤮 out ?? I’m only guessing of course….

Yeah, that was some BS....I laughed the whole time they were blubbering lol

Then she acts like a victim! lol

Was it good.? Im thinking of watching it.

It should be called KAYAK man. What do they call canoes in the UK? Freighters? Its strange how one language can have different variations. Countries should get together and fix this. Its just stupid.

@@cobrakaicyberdon yes, an eye opener

There's a better one called, "The Man, His Wife and the Canoe". It was shown on ITV last year.

Not bad but it was filmed in Suffolk not Seaton Carew. The ITV drama was far superior. It was spread over three one hour long episodes. Much more detailed and was actually filmed in Hartlepool just a short distance from the actual location.

she was in on it she wasnt innocent

They only really took money from banks, pension and insurance companies. She ended up 1/4 million better off after selling the properties. It was fraud and money laundering. 6 years was actually classed as a pretty harsh sentence. I think most of the damage was emotional to their children! He claimed he went back because of his boys but ended up living elsewhere with no contact due to showing absolutely no remorse and loving the media attention.She has regained the trust of both her children and is in contact with her grandchildren aswell.

People get let off with murder a rape. Who cares about fraud no one. Victimless crime I wished they git away with it if ot improved their life.

My thoughts too

no, not yet, I'm still in Thailand lol,🤣

@@robinwalsh9542 "Bad boys bad boys watchya gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you. Bad boys Bad boys." 🎶 🎵

@@24Roxyx and kung fu to you also

@@24Roxyx who sang that song?

@@robinwalsh9542 it's from the TV show Cops.

Ikr.. I wonder if she ever did give him a return/his investment back or did she just get to say 'poor me, I've got guns' and keep it.

@@newgabe09 That's exactly what happened. She basically scammed him and then claimed victim status.

On what charges? She scammed him out of his money or rather the insurance agencies money! lol

The workman made me laugh he said to his wife that they were strange people 😂

There's one right below your comment with around 13 replies. The comment section on this video is now full of them. I hope no one is daft enough to fall for their scheme!

Yes. It is. Didn’t quite understand why that family was being so drama or why they even had to know in the first place .

No his not ! He went for 6 years that’s it .

I think Ronnie Biggs was a more decent human being.

How? At the end of the day, they secured a conviction. Fair enough, one might think they woukd have followed up on reports of him being around the area...but I guess cases get closed and they move on to other things.

​@@danjames4086besides the obvious answer in your post that started with.....How ? My assertion that the police in his hometown were ineffective and lazy is there was no investigation that would lead to the obvious conclusion that drowning at sea wasn't the answer to the puzzle of his disappearance. He was swimming in debt. His mortgage holders were at his doorstep and a total collapse of solvency was eminent. Taking a statement from his wife was evidently all that was done. She's no criminal mastermind and judging from her interview shown in this video it wouldn't have taken much to shake her from her acertion. The police could have simply pressed her saying they had no body and weren't closing the case until they had one. They should have advised her it would be year's before a Court would agree to a presumption of death finding and she'd be left to try and work out their deficiencies with mortgage holder's. Instead of doing absolutely nothing they could have easily tracked her calls and finances and within weeks applied enough pressure for her and him to give up on the hoax. The opposite happened, they did nothing. They were ineffective and lazy. It was only after the husband decided to return because they'd been caught with another story that could be reputed did they act. There were two people who benefited from his disappearance and assumption of death and they didn't follow up with or investigate the one of the two benefactors.