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Electronics stolen: BoatUS says be aware of crime rings this summer (credit:
Dan Rutherford).
Crime Rings Stealing Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Garmin
Electronics
7 tips to slow down
thieves
Boat Owners
Association of The United States (BoatUS) said today crime rings responsible
for stealing boats, Yamaha outboard engines, Garmin electronics, and other
expensive navigation units along the East Coast’s I-95 corridor have moved
across the country. Largely striking boat dealerships and boat-storage
facilities, the thieves are getting the attention of a new intelligence working
group made up of local, state and federal law enforcement officials as well as
certified marine investigators who urge recreational boaters to be vigilant.
One Virginia
marina recently reported six 600-pound engines stolen, with dealerships in
upstate New York and Texas hit in similar fashion, according to a June 2 report in Soundings Trade Only Today.
Working-group member Daniel Rutherford, claims director for Maritime Program
Group, a leading marina and boatyard specialty insurance program company said,
“They are professional. They know what they are doing and get in and out
quickly leaving very little damage.”
What can boat owners
and boating facilities do to prevent thefts? It’s hard to stop a determined
thief, but you can reduce your chances of being targeted. BoatUS offers seven
tips:
- Take
a look at your boat storage area. Is it lit at night? Does it have
motion-operated lighting or audible alarms? How difficult is it to gain
entry? Is there one or multiple ways to enter? Does it have an effective,
fully operating video-surveillance system? Does the storage facility have
signage advising that license plates are being recorded and property is
under 24-hour surveillance?
- Slow
a thief down. Are helm electronics locked behind a solid instrument
cover? Use tamper-resistant fasteners for mounting electronics and outboard
locking devices. Using a special nut with an engine-mounting bolt that
requires a special key can help.
- Make
stealing expensive electronics less appealing by engraving and
posting a warning (this goes for the outboard, too). Create and keep at
home an engine and electronics inventory list that includes manufacturer
and serial number, and take plenty of pictures – including the boat.
- Be
wary of suspicious questions. In most of the boat dealership theft
cases, a suspect posed as a boat shopper on the day before the theft
occurred. For boat owners, loose lips sink ships. Boaters should remain
cautious to questions from strangers wanting to know more about access.
Get to know your dockside neighbors so you can more readily recognize
suspicious activity and people who don't belong.
- Consider
adding a boat tracking
device that can sound an early alarm if something’s
amiss.
- Yamaha
outboard engine owners may want to investigate Yamaha
Customer Outboard Protection, or Y-COP. Y-COP
is available with the manufacturer’s Command Link (CL) and Command Link
Plus (CLP) systems.
- Help
get the word out. If you are a victim of theft, ask your local law
enforcement to share the information on the National Crime Information
Center (NCIC), a computerized database of documented criminal-justice
information available to virtually every law-enforcement agency in the
U.S. or add to state crime-tracking databases.
Attention Sailing Organizations & PR Agencies:
Add us to your distribution list, contact us today
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