Tag: Belize Archives

Incident Date: 2026-05-23 at 01:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Dinghy (3D tender), Outboard Motor (Tohatsu 9.8HP)

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight, an in-the-water and not locked dinghy/outboard was stolen from a yacht anchored near the Drowned Cays. The owners found the painter line had been cut. A report was made to the police and the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard recovered the dinghy, minus the engine.

Incident Date: 2020-12-10 at 01:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: 25 ft skiff / 75HP Yamaha

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 2nd Hand Report

Incident Details: Overnight the launcha for Hideaway Caye resort was stolen. It was not locked and a police report was made.

Incident Date: 2020-03-16 at 05:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Backpack with laptop and sunglasses

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A yacht arrived in Dangriga about 0300HRs and anchored just outside the river, about 300 meters from shore. The crew did not lock the companionway and went to bed. The next morning they discovered they had been boarded, a thief had entered the yacht and stole a backpack (containing a laptop) and also a pair of sunglasses from the cockpit. Another laptop and cellphone sitting on the nav station were not taken. A police report was made the next day and the crew completed their checkout with officials.

Incident Date: 2019-02-23 at 01:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: West Marine dinghy / Suzuki 15 HP 2S outboard

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: While owner slept onboard with his large dog in the cockpit, the line to his in-the-water and not locked dinghy was cut. The victim contacted the local police, who advised “not to bother with a report, the dinghy was long gone”.

Incident Date: 2019-02-11 at 03:45

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Cash

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: Two occupants asleep aboard a catamaran anchored in Placencia harbor, Belize were awakened by noise around 03:45 am. The vessel owner witnessed an adult male boarder exiting the cockpit overboard from port transom, capsizing his fishing canoe in his haste to escape. The boarder spoke to owner as he swam away, “”I’m sinking, sir.”” Owner clearly saw his face.
Subsequently, the vessel occupants observed water on the floor in the saloon and discovered cash was stolen from a wallet (approx. US$120). The occupants noticed the overturned canoe drifting away and the owner launched the dinghy, retrieved the canoe, and secured it to the vessel.
After daybreak, the owner went ashore and made a full report of the incident to the Placencia Police and reviewed mug shots, identifying several individuals that could have been the intruder. The Police retrieved the canoe as evidence. The Police refused to provide a copy of the Police Report to the vessel owner on the grounds that it was “”privacy information.”” The owner went to the local tourist office to also report the incident there, but the office was closed. The owner alerted other cruising vessels in the area (~25 yachts) of the incident via VHF broadcast and answered all questions. The victim vessel departed Placencia later that morning and did not receive any further communication from the Placencia Police.

Incident Date: 2017-05-28 at 09:00

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: Dinghy and Outboard

Secured: Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A dinghy with outboard was cable locked to a private dock while owner was ashore for dinner. The outboard was locked to the dinghy, and both were stolen between 7-9PM. A police report was made.

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

Event Type: Theft

Stolen Items: dinghy/outboard

Secured: Not Locked

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: The yacht's dinghy/outboard was tied to the transom overnight, as the weather was too rough to secure it on the davits. The theft occurred between 2am and 5am, the line was cleanly cut leaving a 5 foot length attached to the cleat. Reported to the marina and the Sunsail charter base in Placencia.