cssn - The Caribbean Safety and Security Net

2002 – Theft in Saint Lucia – Rodney Bay – Inner Lagoon

Incident Date: 2016-01-01 at 05:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Silent Wind Wind Generator, Regulator, Fenders.

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: On the 24th of December I noticed my wind generator had been stolen off the pole on the back of my boat. On the first of January 2016 likely the same individual(s) returned, broke into the boat moored up against a private dock and stole the regulator. It is a Silent Wind generator. The boat is on a private dock in the corner of the lagoon, down near Pizza Pizza. These were very precise crimes. More bizarre was the cutting of the fender tie lines and removal of 3 fenders. They chose a time I was away from the boat over the festive season. Damage was minimal and nothing else was taken or disturbed but the boat was virtually empty, everything not screwed down had already been removed for internal re-varnishing. Anyone with info about this wind generator should contact PC Edwards at Gros Islet CID at +1 758 456 3830

January 1, 2016

2001 – Theft in Guatemala – Rio Dulce – Nana Juana

Incident Date: 2015-12-29 at 21:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Electric tools, laptop, money, fenders, ropes

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A thief or thieves stole multiple items from an unlocked, unoccupied boat anchored n the Rio Dulce near Nana Juana, on 2015-12-29 .The theft was discovered when crew returned to the boat. There were no witnesses. Reported on local Facebook Group.

December 29, 2015

1999 – Piracy in Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad – Hibiscus Gas Platform

Incident Date: 2015-12-27 at 10:30

Event Type: Piracy

Stolen Items: They took everything they could get: clothes, computer, cell phones, trinidad flag, clock, etc. TOTAL Value about $4,000us

Secured: N/A

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Boarding and robbery between Trinidad and Grenada of a 32 foot sailing sloop three on board. The vessel had passed close west of Trinidad Hibiscus Gas Platform and was some 30 miles from Trinidad with 40 to go to Grenada.||At about 10am, when about 30 nautical miles from Trinidad, to the north and a little to the west of the Hibiscus Gas Platform, the sloop was approached from the eastern side by a pirogue. It was an unmarked pirogue which looked white (or slightly bluish) on the outside with a grey gunnel with a 130 hp outboard on the stern and a 150 hp outboard laying inside. The pirogue had three blue barrels in it, presumably containing extra fuel. Six persons were on board. They all spoke Spanish and one spoke broken English. Three boarded while the others kept gun barrels under cloth wraps pointed at crew. The people in the pirogue used what appeared to be a rifle but the captain could not say for sure as it was hidden by a piece of cloth. They took everything they could get: clothes, computer, cell phones, Trinidad flag, clock, etc. TOTAL Value about $4,000us They did not harm the occupants or harm the vessel but the pirates threatened to kill the captain if he called for help. The pirates were aboard for about 20 minutes. They remained cool and were not nervous or jumpy.||After the robbery the pirogue headed off in a s.w. Direction, towards Venezuela.||Reported to the TT coastguard and YSATT.

December 27, 2015

1998 – Piracy in Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad – Hibiscus Gas Platform

Incident Date: 2015-12-20 at 12:00

Event Type: Piracy

Stolen Items: Money, passports, cell phones, computers, food clothing and ship’s documents, cash, credit cards, wallets, clothes, luggage, watches, books, sailing gear, keys, food, miscellaneous electronics, toiletries, and other items.

Secured: N/A

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: On December 20 at approximately noon, a 24 meter (80 ft) sailing yacht was sailing from Chaguaramas Trinidad N. to Port Louis Grenada, at about the halfway point In the vicinity of the Hibiscus Gas platform or 30 miles N of Trinidad.

The crew were busy working on the backstay and didn’t notice the boat until it was right on their stern.
VEN Pen
Typical open style fishing boat sometimes used by bandits
It was an 18 ft narrow open boat, white hull with blue inside fishing type boat with 5 young men aboard. The fishing boat had 4 blue barrels that the crew guessed was extra fuel. They had a 120 hp Yamaha outboard engine, and an additional engine laying on the boat’s floor.

We were approached from the south astern by the men speaking Spanish apparently asking for something. Once close to the yacht, one individual pulled out a military type assault rifle and made it clear they were coming aboard. The crew was held at gunpoint the

BG Group Data book 2014 – Where we work – Trinidad & Tobago
Hibiscus Gas Platform location is in upper left of graphis with red circle.
entire time. 2 guys stayed in the boat, 2 went through the boat. 1 with the gun stayed with the captain and 2 yacht crew in the cockpit. The pirates below deck proceeded to put the valuables in bags and luggage found inside the boat, and transport said bags into their dinghy. No shots fired. They were aboard for approximately 15 minutes and took money and electronics. None of the 3 crew were injured. all three pirates on board, jumped back into their dinghy, and started motoring south, from the same direction in which they came. The yacht carried on to Grenada and reported the incident to the US Coast Guards, who reported to Trinidad and Grenada Coast Guards. At some point within the hour of reporting the incident to the USCG, the Trinidad and Tobago coast guard called the satellite phone to review the report that was forwarded to them via the USCG.

CSSN NOTE: CSSN original report was from sources directly in contact with captain and crew and was necessarily classified as second hand. The Captain of the yacht has now confirmed all the facts of this report directly to CSSN. The captain provided additional detail which has been edited into this report. This report is is updated to a first hand, confirmed report with quotes and information also taken from the Captain’s official written report to authorities.

December 20, 2015

1996 – Vandalism in Martinique (France) – Le Marin – marina

Incident Date: 2015-12-15 at 12:00

Event Type: Vandalism

Stolen Items: None

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Individual or individuals put two holes in dingy with knife. Fortunately only one tube was holed. One puncture was in a very difficult spot to repair.. Many other dinghies around. Heard that another dingy was stolen off the same dock the same day mine was damaged. Reported to police and marina. Marina was not helpful or interested when I reported it to them. Made a formal report to police office about two miles away. but they did not seem concerned or interested.

December 15, 2015

1997 – Theft in United States Virgin Islands (US) – St. Croix – Christiansted

Incident Date: 2015-12-13 at 00:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Dinghy and Suzuki 2.5 outboard, small anchor and ground tackle and all of the hardware was gone off the boat

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Our dinghy was stolen from the Jones Maritime Company dock sometime Dec 12 or 13. The dock has a locked gate, but the dinghy was only tied to the dock, and the painter was cut. We walked along the industrial waterfront west of Christiansted, and found the dinghy onshore, all tubes slashed beyond repair. The motor, ground tackle and hardware used to hoist the dinghy were all missing. Reported to police.

December 13, 2015

2000 – Theft in Guatemala – Rio Dulce – Nana Juana

Incident Date: 2015-12-11 at 23:11

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Stole tools, pump, other items

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A thief or thieves stole multiple items from an unlocked, unoccupied boat anchored near Nana Juana Marina, on 2015-12-11 .The theft was discovered when crew returned to the boat. There were no witnesses. Reported on local Facebook Group.

December 11, 2015

1993 – Theft in Saint Martin (France) – Lagoon

Incident Date: 2015-12-09 at 02:25

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: 13ft Boston Whaler taken from mooring and outboard stolen

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: At 2.25am a team of determined thieves stole our Boston Whaler from Nettle Bay, French St. Martin. They had to cut through stainless steel chains and locks securing the boat to two sand screws. We know the whaler was towed out into Marigot Bay to a position approx 18.05N 63.09W, where we surmise the thieves then cut the two stainless steel chains and three heavy stainless steel locks securing the 15hp Yamaha outboard and probably loaded it onto a ship or boat. They then towed the whaler back into Simpson Bay and at approx 3.30am tied it to the stern of a rusted-out fire boat to the north of the Witches Tit. Why they towed the boat back into the Lagoon is a mystery. While reporting this to the Brigade Nautique, someone else was reporting the theft of their 10ft aluminium hulled RIB and 20HP engine. The owner said his dinghy was locked to his yacht with two stainless steel cables, both of which were cut. The incident happened at the same time as our whaler was stolen and in the same area of Marigot Bay where our whaler had it’s outboard removed before being towed back into the Lagoon. I know the positions and times because the whaler is fitted with a tracker. We lost a whaler in similar circumstances just over a year ago, I use the whaler for my business, hence the tracker. Unfortunately, there was no tracker on the engine. We though we had done enough to secure the boat. We were wrong. Those who took it were tooled up, not chance thieves or kids. CSSN NOTE: When possible lifting and locking your dinghy to the yacht with stainless steel chain and a quality lock is your best protection against theft. SXM remains a particularly problematic area, and thefts are under reported. Please keep the cruising community informed, our online incident reporting form makes it easy.

December 9, 2015

1995 – Theft in Saint Martin (France) – Lagoon

Incident Date: 2015-12-09 at 02:25

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: 10ft aluminium hulled RIB and 20HP engine

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Reported to the Brigade Nautique, SMX, Marigot Bay the theft of a 10ft aluminium hulled RIB and 20HP engine. The owner said his dinghy was locked to his yacht with two stainless steel cables, both of which were cut. The incident happened in Marigot Bay at the same time as a theft of a Boston Whaler from am mooring.

December 9, 2015

1991 – Burglary in Puerto Rico (US) – Vieques – Rompeolas

Incident Date: 2015-11-30 at 00:00

Event Type: Burglary

Stolen Items: USCG Type I adult life jacket and 2 children jackets, fender, spot light, personal lights

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: November 30 in Vieques Rompeolas, burglars eneterd the boat at night got away with many items. The burglers seemed to have left in a hurry because they spent time removing the anchor and rode and then left rode on deck and anchor in the water, there were more jackets inside and other things they could have taken. Reported to police.

November 30, 2015

Author: cssn Archives