Seven Vessel Thefts in the Upper Keys Prompts Warning
Out of town residents, boats with big outboards targeted
Posted Thursday, September 13, 2007
Detectives are warning upper Keys residents about boat thefts occurring in the upper Keys.
Detective Sgt. Gene Thompson says seven boats have been stolen from behind upper Keys residences over the past two months. The boats were all on boat lifts or on davits, and were all relatively new vessels, each with multiple high-end engines. In most of the cases, the boats were recovered, abandoned, just days after they were stolen. Detectives believe the boats are being used for migrant smuggling. In one particular case, the stolen boat was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard while being used for that purpose. Most of the thefts have taken place while the owners are out of town.
Boat owners throughout the Keys should take every precaution with their vessels, particularly those kept in the water, or near the water. When leaving home for any amount of time, the owner should turn off power to their boat lift and put a lock box around the lift controls. Make sure the area where the boat is kept is well lighted at night, and notify neighbors to keep an eye on the boat if at all possible.
Anyone with information about these crimes should call the Sheriff's Office or call Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys. Callers to Crime Stoppers may remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest. The Crime Stoppers hot line number is 1-800-346-TIPS.
