https://www.safetyandsecuritynet.com/3203-2/ [BROKENLINK]

DATE: 2015-12-09 02:25

Country Name: St. Martin (French)

Location Detail: Lagoon

EVENT: Theft

Stolen Items: 13ft Boston Whaler taken from mooring and outboard stolen

SECURED: Locked

DETAILS: At 2.25am a team of determined thieves stole our Boston Whaler from Nettle Bay, French St. Martin. They had to cut through stainless steel chains and locks securing the boat to two sand screws. We know the whaler was towed out into Marigot Bay to a position approx 18.05N 63.09W, where we surmise the thieves then cut the two stainless steel chains and three heavy stainless steel locks securing the 15hp Yamaha outboard and probably loaded it onto a ship or boat. They then towed the whaler back into Simpson Bay and at approx 3.30am tied it to the stern of a rusted-out fireboat to the north of the Witches Tit. Why they towed the boat back into the Lagoon is a mystery.

While reporting this to the Brigade Nautique, someone else was reporting the theft of their 10ft aluminum hulled RIB and 20HP engine. The owner said his dinghy was locked to his yacht with two stainless steel cables, both of which were cut. The incident happened at the same time as our whaler was stolen and in the same area of Marigot Bay where our whaler had its outboard removed before being towed back into the Lagoon.

I know the positions and times because the whaler is fitted with a tracker. We lost a whaler in similar circumstances just over a year ago, I use the whaler for my business, hence the tracker. Unfortunately, there was no tracker on the engine. We thought we had done enough to secure the boat. We were wrong. Those who took it were tooled up, not much chance it was casual thieves or kids.

CSSN NOTE: In this case, it is not practical to lift a 13 ft Whaler each night. However, when it is possible, lifting and locking your dinghy and motor to the yacht with a stainless steel chain and a quality lock is usually good protection/prevention against theft. In some areas, thieves have upped their game using more effective tools. An alarm may help foil an act and of course, trackers help find an item after its gone. SXM remains a particularly problematic area, and thefts are under-reported. Please keep the cruising community informed. Our online incident reporting form makes it easy.