Attempted Theft - The Caribbean Safety and Security Net

2046 – Attempted Theft in Grenada – Grenada – Prickly Bay

Incident Date: 2016-07-06 at 02:00

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: None

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight an attempt was made to steal an outboard from an in the water dinghy. The outboard was locked to the dinghy, and the dinghy to the yacht. The attempt was discovered in the morning. The gas tank had been disconnected, the lifting strap removed and motor key ripped off. Reported to the Coast Guard.

July 6, 2016

2043 – Attempted Theft in Dominican Republic – Samana

Incident Date: 2016-06-25 at 02:30

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: None

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A cruiser was awakened during the night by the sound of a small boat bumping against the hull. He yelled out then grabbed a spotlight and went on deck to investigate. The dinghy was on davits and locked to the yacht, but now had an empty canoe tied to its bow. The boat and surrounding area were searched with lights, no one was found, and nothing was missing. The following morning the Navy stopped by to retrieve the canoe and inform the cruiser that they had picked up a soaking wet man onshore the previous night. Apparently the thief was looking for an outboard/dinghy to steal and he was interrupted, and jumped into the water and swam to shore rather than risk a confrontation. A report was made to the Port Captain.

June 25, 2016

2042 – Attempted Theft in Puerto Rico (US) – Vieques – Isabel Segunda

Incident Date: 2016-06-20 at 23:30

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: None

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Around 11:30 PM 2 young men rowed out to an anchored yacht and attempted to steal the (locked to the yacht with cable) dinghy. They were clumsy, and scared off by the owner who was on board. They left behind their bolt cutters.

June 20, 2016

2020 – Attempted Theft in Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua – Falmouth Harbor

Incident Date: 2016-04-21 at 21:30

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: Dinghy

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: My unlocked dinghy was taken from the Sailing Academy dock last Thursday night 21st between 1830 and 2130 HRS whilst I was dining with friends at Academy Cafe. I broadcasted on VHF68 and another boat came and retrieved my friends and I. We then searched Falmouth Harbour and found my dinghy about an hour later tied up on the public dock. The engine was warm. There was a mask and snorkel left in the dinghy. Nothing was taken from the dinghy and no damage. No police report was made.

April 21, 2016

2027 – Attempted Theft in Saint Lucia – Marigot – Inner Bay

Incident Date: 2016-04-06 at 19:00

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: None

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A catamaran on a buoy in the inner lagoon of Marigot Bay was entered thru an unsecured hatch between 7 and 8 PM, while the owners were ashore. The thief gathered items but the unexpected return of the owners caused the thief to escape into the water thru the hull emergency exit. Reported to the Police and the Port Captain.

April 6, 2016

2018 – Attempted Theft in Belize – Placencia Harbour

Incident Date: 2016-03-23 at 02:00

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: None

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Three men in a dinghy attempted to take our dinghy at around 2:00 AM they cut the two lines that secured our dinghy to our boat, they must not have seen the cable and lock which made their attempt unsuccesful

March 23, 2016

1967 – Attempted Theft in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Canouan – Charlestown Bay (South House)

Incident Date: 2015-07-14 at 02:45

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: none, unsuccessful attempt theft

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: Unknown Hand Report

Incident Details: Crew was awakened at 0:245 HRS by sounds on deck and when they investigated they found an unknown man on the deck of their catamaran. Yelling convinced him to jump overboard and swim away before being able to steal anything. The private charter group had been twice that day cautioned to lock up by the gentlemen who rented the mooring to them. No police report was made, the group departed the next day. CSSN NOTE: this is the 7th incident (reported to us) at this location this year.

July 14, 2015

1976 – Attempted Theft in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Canouan – L’Ance Guyac

Incident Date: 2015-07-10 at 02:00

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: none

Secured: Locked

Source Type: Unknown Hand Report

Incident Details: Boarding overnight at L’Ance Guyac (north of Charlestown Bay at N12 43.459 W61 19.959 ) Canouan. All items were removed from the deck/cockpit, including the cooler so nothing was available to the thief. No police or Coast Guard report was made. First person report/date approximate.

July 10, 2015

1966 – Attempted Theft in Curacao (the Netherlands) – Spanish Water – anchorage

Incident Date: 2015-07-07 at 02:00

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: nothing, dinghy painter was cut nearly thru

Secured: Locked

Source Type: Unknown Hand Report

Incident Details: On awakening the crew of a boat anchored in Spanish Waters discovered that overnight their dinghy had been tampered with. The canvas cover for the outboard had been removed, and the painter nearly cut thru with a sharp implement of some sort. The dinghy was cabled and locked to the yacht, the outboard engine was securely locked to the dinghy. The owners asked CSSN to specifically remind and warn others that this pattern of attempted/actual theft has occurred here in Spanish Waters before, the swimout thieves drift off in the night with the dinghy to work away at the locks on the outboard in a remote area, and the dinghy minus the outboard is sometimes later recovered, sometimes the entire dinghy is swum ashore and then taken away by a waiting pickup truck.. This incident was reported on the local Curacao daily VHF net, but it can happen to anyone, anywhere. CSSN NOTE: cables, stainless steel chains and sturdy locks do provide a first order of defense against casual “sneak” thieves, but LIFTING and then also LOCKING provides a more robust deterrent.

July 7, 2015

1963 – Attempted Theft in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Bequia – Princess Margaret Beach

Incident Date: 2015-07-03 at 04:30

Event Type: Attempted Theft

Stolen Items: none

Secured: Unknown

Source Type: Unknown Hand Report

Incident Details: Crew/dog awakened at 4:30 AM by strange, sloshing sounds. Discovered 2 men in a local (later learned to be stolen) double bow skiff at the stern step of the catamaran. Lights and yelling caused the men to paddle away after making excuses about “being fishermen”, etc. The next day, the catamaran owner made a report on the local VHF net and went ashore where the skiff and its true owner were discovered, the owner indicated he planned to lock the skiff up in the future. A police report was attempted, but yacht owners were advised since they had not been boarded and nothing was taken, no report could be made. The skiff owner did make a police report. The local Coast Guard patrol boat was back in operation the following night and made several passes thru the anchorage.

July 3, 2015

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