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2684 – Theft in Dominican Republic – Luperon

Incident Date: 2021-09-17 at 03:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: 15 HP Yamaha outboard

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight, thieves boarded an unoccupied yacht on a mooring near the marina dock. They used a hacksaw/blade to cleanly cut the padlock that locked the transom clamps to each other while the 15HP Yamaha was mounted on the stern pulpit. The lock remains were left in the cockpit, where a similar lock secured the cabin companionway. The fuel tank remained in the cockpit, and was not taken. A report was made to the police, port captain, marina and announced on the VHF net.

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September 17, 2021

2689 – Piracy in Venezuela – Offshore

Incident Date: 2021-09-15 at 08:30

Event Type: Piracy

Stolen Items: Cash, food, alcohol, liferaft, clothing, shoes, sunglasses, phone charger

Secured: Does not apply

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A single handed yacht on passage from Curacao to Brazil having passed well north of Margarita Island, Venezuela, was boarded at 0830HRS by Spanish speaking pirates 15 miles offshore the Paria Peninsula at position 10-58.744N 062-38.279W along the north eastern coast of Venezuela.||Initially two (2) open boats with multiple large, new outboards and twenty (20) men took control. The pirates were all armed with automatic weapons and handguns. They beat the captain and forced his yacht close to shore in this remote and sparsely populated area. There was a well established house/camp and other armed men visible ashore. Two (2) additional boats (total 4) and men (total 40) then spent four (4) hours threatening the captain with their weapons and ransacking/searching the yacht while he was forced to circle close to shore. The pirates repeatedly demanded cash, which was surrendered. They also took all alcohol/beverages and food, as well as clothing, shoes and sunglasses. The pirates took the yacht’s liferaft, but had no interest in the dinghy or outboard, laptop, the yacht’s electronics, the captain’s credit cards or his cell phone. The pirates did take the phone charger. They were fairly well organized and under the control of “the boss” who communicated with his men and the captain by VHF. ||Eventually the pirates were satisfied they had taken all they wanted, and the captain asked the pirate boss for some small food and diesel so he could depart and continue his voyage. It was provided with a proviso to go and never look back. The yacht proceeded and made safe harbor in Chaguaramas, Trinidad. Assistance was provided by a cruiser who noticed the distressed state of the captain. ||The captain was visited by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard who took a full report, he also talked with his consular officials. He was tested and put into 14 day (onboard) Covid quarantine, with limited but necessary support provided by a shore-side marina and boatyard. ||CSSN would like to thank everyone who has supported this cruiser during a difficult time made even more so because of Covid restrictions and regulations. ||Subscribe to (FREE) CSSN email ALERTS!, stay well informed and Know Before You Go!

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September 15, 2021

2682 – Theft in Guatemala – Rio Dulce – Texan Bay

Incident Date: 2021-09-14 at 01:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: APEX dinghy / HONDA 8HP outboard

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight an in-the-water and not locked dinghy was stolen from a yacht in El Golfete, near Texan Bay, while owners slept onboard. The next morning, the owners found the painter had been cut. A police report was made.

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September 14, 2021

2688 – Burglary in Guatemala – Rio Dulce – Fronteras

Incident Date: 2021-09-14 at 22:00

Event Type: Burglary

Stolen Items: Yamaha 5HP outboard and solar panel

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: The owner and crew were absent from a yacht anchored off the Shack Bar in Fronteras from August 17 to September 22. When a crew member returned they discovered that the 5HP Yamaha outboard and a solar panel had been stolen from the deck. The thieves came prepared with tools, the outboard was cable locked to the stern pulpit and the solar panel strongly sealed to the deck.

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September 14, 2021

2678 – Assault in Mexico – Cancun – Punta Nizuc

Incident Date: 2021-09-06 at 21:30

Event Type: Assault

Stolen Items: 10' AB aluminum bottom dinghy, 15HP Yamaha 2 stroke outboard (15FMH), spare fuel tank, cash, portable West Marine VHF, GoPro camera, headlamp, medicines and ointments, and other items.

Secured: Does not apply

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Owners anchored their catamaran at 1800HRS just south of Cancun, Mexico, in the bay of Punta Nizuc. Family members were watching a movie with all lights out at 2130HRS when three men with spear guns appeared in the cockpit and began screaming for money and food. ||The crew cooperated, giving the masked men money and food items. They took a knife and held it out while yelling orders. They tied up both adults on the floor and then tied the children nearby. They threatened to throw them overboard while still tied, but did not physically harm anyone. The men ransacked the boat – breaking the VHF, a flashlight, and GPS display. ||After collecting what they wanted the men departed in the yacht's dinghy. The crew was able to untie themselves, and they recovered a backpack accidentally left behind in the cockpit that contained their cell phones and other valuables. It is believed the men arrived by paddle board or kayak as they were silent and wet. ||A report was made to the Police and the Port Captain.

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September 6, 2021

2677 – Theft in Sint Maarten (Kingdom of the Netherlands) – Simpson Bay Lagoon

Incident Date: 2021-08-30 at 02:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Carib dinghy with Tohatsu 19.8 HP outboard (grey) and AB dinghy with Tohatsu 9.8 HP outboard(black)

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: At approximately 0200HRS a lone male approached the Sint Maarten Yacht Club by kayak or paddleboard. He spent 7 minutes using bolt cutters to cut the cable that locked the 2 dinghies to the floating EZ dock tied to the main Yacht Club dock. He tied the dinghies together and departed under power. A report was made to the police and coast guard, and all video surveillance was shared with the authorities.||UPDATE: About 2 weeks after the theft, the SMYC has recovered one of the 2 stolen dinghies, it had been abandoned on the beach of Royal Palm resort. Unfortunately the 19.8HP 4 stroke engine was nonfunctional, badly damaged and required extensive repairs.

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August 30, 2021

2676 – Theft in Martinique (France) – Grand Anse D’Arlet

Incident Date: 2021-08-25 at 01:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: dinghy/Honda 2.3HP outboard

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight while owners slept on board, their in-the-water and not locked dinghy/2.3HP Honda outboard was stolen. It is not known if a police report was made.

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August 25, 2021

2675 – Theft in Panama – Linton Bay

Incident Date: 2021-08-22 at 02:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Caribe dinghy / 15HP Yamaha outboard

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight a yacht at anchor in Linton Bay had its locked, in-the-water dinghy stolen while the owner slept onboard. The locking cable had been cut. The dinghy was recovered the next day from Punta Manzanillo, minus the outboard. The dinghy had many slashes in the tubes. Reports were made to local officials, including police and Aeronaval (Coast Guard).

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August 22, 2021

2673 – Theft in Grenada – Carriacou – Tyrrel Bay

Incident Date: 2021-08-16 at 01:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: 12FT Highfield/30HP Suzuki outboard

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight an in-the water and not locked 12FT Highfield dinghy/30HP Suzuki outboard was stolen from a catamaran in the anchorage while crew slept onboard. No further details are available.

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August 16, 2021