cssn - The Caribbean Safety and Security Net

3036 – Assault in Saint Lucia – Anse Canaries

Incident Date: 2023-06-13 at 00:05

Event Type: Assault

Stolen Items: Cash, tablet, phone, VHF radios, all clothing and food, chartplotter and GPS, epoxy resin and hardener, earphones, backpack, dinghy and 9.8HP Tohastu

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: UPDATED REPORT : The victim has provided additional detail. This report replaces the original secondhand report previously published.||A singlehander anchored in Anse Canaries between 1700-1800HRS, there were no other yachts in the anchorage. He was awakened with a machete to his throat just after midnight. Three(3) young men had arrived by kayak and boarded the unlocked yacht. The captain complied with their demands, was threatened with death and then tied up by one of the 2 masked men. Over the course of 2 hours the men stole cash, electronics, all food and clothing and then departed in the yachts dinghy with the kayak in tow. The captain sustained minor injuries but was able to untie himself. ||The thieves had left behind the trackable Garmin In-Reach which the captain used to contact and inform family members, who then contacted Interpol who then engaged the local St. Lucia marine police. The yacht departed immediately but was met many miles offshore sometime later by the marine police. A verbal report was made and the yacht continued to its next port. A full report was made with local officials on arrival and St. Lucian officials later that day. St. Lucian officials reported that they had recovered the dinghy/outboard ashore. An investigation was opened by St. Lucia police, and efforts are underway to get the dinghy/outboard back to the owner. || CSSN will update this report if authorities make progress with arrest/prosecution. ||NOTE: This is not the first recent instance of armed robbery in this bay, or nearby in the Soufriere/Pitons area. No arrests have been made in any of the earlier cases. Utilize the CSSN archives and Zoom-Tap maps for 2022 to easily review those 5 incidents.

June 13, 2023

3034 – Theft in Martinique (France) – Le Marin – Carrefour dock

Incident Date: 2023-06-08 at 10:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Dinghy fuel tank/line

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: The owner returned to their locked dinghy at the Leader Price dock at 1000HRS and found that their not locked fuel tank/line had been stolen. It is not known if a police report was made.

June 8, 2023

3033 – Theft in Martinique (France) – St. Anne

Incident Date: 2023-06-05 at 15:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Stern anchor with chain rode

Secured: Does not apply

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A cruiser left their dinghy at the St. Anne dinghy dock on a rising tide around noon, and deployed a stern anchor. When they returned at around 1700HRS they found that the stern anchor and chain had been carefully untied from the rode and stolen. No police report was made.

June 5, 2023

3031 – Attempted Robbery in Colombia – San Andres – San Andres Harbor

Incident Date: 2023-05-27 at 04:15

Event Type: Attempted Robbery

Stolen Items: None, not successful

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: After several weeks in the anchorage with several other occupied boats nearby, owners heard noise and discovered 2 men onboard their boat at 0415HRS. ||The leader was armed with a handgun and pointed it into the dark and unlocked companionway. The captain surprised and challenged him and the second man retreated immediately to join a third man who started the engine in their waiting speedboat. The leader also retreated when he apparently realized his companions might leave him behind. The attempted robbery was not successful, nothing was taken, and there were no injuries. || The crew shot off a flare to illuminate the departing criminals and immediately contacted authorities ashore. The police tracked the speedboat and detained a suspect. They recovered a weapon that is being tested for forensics. A formal report was made the next day to the Police and Port Captain as well as the Coast Guard and Navy. An investigation is underway.

May 27, 2023

3032 – Vandalism in Grenada – Grenada – Prickly Bay

Incident Date: 2023-05-25 at 00:53

Event Type: Vandalism

Stolen Items: Nothing taken

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Between 19 – 25 May a yacht on a mooring near the Coast Guard station in Prickly Bay was vandalized. The hired guardian discovered the companionway padlock had been broken and the interior was rummaged. It did not appear that anything was taken. A report was made to the Coast Guard.

May 25, 2023

3086 – Assault in Colombia – Isla Tortuguilla

Incident Date: 2023-05-19 at 22:00

Event Type: Assault

Stolen Items: Cell phones, laptops, outboard and small items.

Secured: Does not apply

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A yacht transiting from Panama to Cartagena anchored late in the day to overnight at Isla Tortuguilla. There were no other boats anchored there. They closed up and locked the boat for the night. At 2200HRs several men armed with automatic weapons arrived in an open boat with 40HP outboard and boarded. ||The captain reluctantly opened up and the men ransacked the yacht. They collected valuables and then with a blast of gunfire forced all of the crew into the open boat and took them ashore where they were held hostage at gunpoint overnight. The crew was treated roughly but there were no physical injuries. The youngest crew member was handcuffed and then "interviewed" by the leader. The thieves seemed to think the crew was involved in drug smuggling, but found no drugs. They made it clear visitors were not welcome.||The next morning, the thieves returned the hostages to the yacht and released them, and stole the outboard engine. ||The crew departed and plans to make a report to their consular officials.

May 19, 2023

3038 – Theft in Panama – Bocas del Toro – Bocas Marina anchorage

Incident Date: 2023-05-03 at 02:15

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Propane tank (Tropigas)

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Boat #2 – When two boats in the south anchorage reported that they had propane tanks stolen, a cruiser checked his own spare tank and found it missing. Time/date are best estimates. but at least 3 boats lost their tanks.

May 3, 2023

3039 – Theft in Panama – Bocas del Toro – Bocas Marina anchorage

Incident Date: 2023-05-03 at 02:11

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Propane tank (Tropigas)

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: When two boats in the south anchorage reported that they had propane tanks stolen, a cruiser checked his own spare tank and found it missing. Time/date are best estimates. but at least 3 boats had their propane tanks stolen.

May 3, 2023

3040 – Theft in Panama – Bocas del Toro – Bocas Marina anchorage

Incident Date: 2023-05-03 at 02:20

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Tropigas propane tank

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Boat #3 – When two boats in the south anchorage reported that they had propane tanks stolen, a cruiser checked his own spare tank and found it missing. Time/date are best estimates. but at least 3 boats lost their tanks. See 3039.

May 3, 2023

3035 – Theft in Panama – Bocas del Toro – Marina Carenero

Incident Date: 2023-04-30 at 02:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Two full 3-gallon gasoline tanks

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Before departing, owners secured their tender on the flybridge of their motor yacht which was left in a slip at Marina Carenero. The tender was covered, and the cover was tied down. During their absence , between April 25 – May 12, 2023, a thief boarded and removed 2 (full) 3 gallon gas jugs that were stored inside and below the bench seat of the covered dinghy. Their minder had not noted any disturbances, but the owners noticed the aft end of the cover was untied, and on further inspection found that the fuel jugs had been stolen. A report was made to the marina.

April 30, 2023

Author: cssn Archives