Incident Date: 2026-07-07 at 04:23
Event Type: Theft
Stolen Items: Dinghy (Red inflatable, HIN ESMRSR3004010), Outboard Motor (Yamaha 25HP ES5BMH)
Secured: Not Locked
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: Overnight, an in-the-water and not locked dinghy was stolen, thieves had cut the lines. A report was made to the Coast Guard and the Port Captain.
Incident Date: 2026-05-28 at 01:00
Event Type: Theft
Stolen Items: Dinghy, Outboard Motor
Secured: Not Locked
Source Type: 2nd Hand Report
Incident Details: Overnight and in-the-water and not locked dinghy was stolen from an occupied yacht. The dinghy, minus the outboard was recovered the next day.
Incident Date: 2026-04-24 at 13:00
Event Type: Theft
Stolen Items: Other: fuel, gasoline
Secured: Does not apply
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: Three gallons of fuel were siphoned from the tank of a dinghy at the main downtown dock.
Incident Date: 2025-10-31 at 01:00
Event Type: Theft
Stolen Items: Other: 2 fenders
Secured: Does not apply
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: Overnight while the owner slept onboard, 2 fenders were stolen from a yacht on a mooring between Club de Pesca and Club Nautico. The lines were cut.
Incident Date: 2025-05-28 at 23:00
Event Type: Theft
Stolen Items: Fuel Tank
Secured: secured – locked
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: Overnight while owners slept onboard, a thief stole the Yamaha 5HP engine from their in-the water and chain locked dinghy/outboard. The padlock on the engine was cut. The thieves also boarded the yacht and stole the fuel tank/hose from the cockpit.
A report was made to the marina.
Incident Date: 2024-03-27 at 20:30
Event Type: Attempted Robbery
Stolen Items: Unsuccessful
Secured: N/A
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: A yacht made an unplanned stop at 1700HRS at Cabo de Las Vela to wait for more favorable sailing conditions, planning to depart at 0300HRS. No other yachts were anchored there. At 2030HRS they heard voices and found three masked men in a boat tied to their stern. Communications were difficult but the boarders were clearly told NO and asked, then told to leave. ||The boarders were becoming more aggressive. The crew had prepared with bear spray, and used it on the first man who continued his attempt to climb aboard. He retreated but a second man began to board. They were using/swinging large poles in an attempt to subdue the crew. Both crew then shot more bear spray and the 3 men finally retreated to their boat and departed. ||The crew made a VHF call (no response) and immediately departed.
Incident Date: 2023-12-29 at 08:00
Event Type: Piracy
Stolen Items: batteries,cables,sails,fenders +++
Secured: N/A
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: A singlehander departed Santa Marta, Colombia, for the San Blas islands (Panama) and was attacked by pirates about 5 miles offshore Barranquilla, Colombia. The 3 pirates boarded and attacked the captain, beating him and then stabbing him with a knife they found onboard. They made 3 trips to his boat over a few hours time and stole many things including batteries, cables, sails, blocks, fenders +++ and they destroyed electronics.|| The captain was able to make phone contact with a friend in his home country between visits and they contacted their local rescue authorities who then made contact with the Colombian Coast Guard. ||The injured captain continued to repel the pirates' later visits with a hammer and flares, and cut a line they were using in an attempt to tow him toward shore. The pirates finally gave up. The Colombian Coast Guard arrived at the yacht about 30 minutes after the final visit by the pirates and provided assistance and then towed the yacht back to Santa Marta marina where the captain was taken by ambulance to the hospital, treated and kept overnight. ||Reports were made to the Coast Guard and the marina.
Incident Date: 2023-12-22 at 22:30
Event Type: Assault
Stolen Items: Everything – electronics ( InReach, laptop, phones ), cash, tools +++
Secured: Does not apply
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: A yacht anchored alone in the bay was boarded by four masked men each armed with a handgun at 2230HRS. The captain was pistol whipped and crew held at gunpoint while the boat was ransacked. The attackers demanded the drugs they thought were onboard. They stole electronics (inReach, laptop, phones), cash and jewelry, plus other assorted items. ||The thieves were unable to steal the well secured dinghy as the keys were lost in the mess they created. Some of the thieves paddled their unpowered boat ashore to unload the stolen items and returned for more and their companions. The entire event lasted about an hour. The captain self-treated his head wounds. ||A report to consular officials was planned, and the boat left the bay.
Incident Date: 2023-09-23 at 10:00
Event Type: Theft
Stolen Items: 5 large fenders
Secured: Not Locked
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: A yacht was anchored alone in Taganga bay. Between 0600-1200HRS, while they were onboard, their 5 large fenders were stolen, each line had been silently cut. ||Reports were made to the police and coast guard.
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.
