Burglary in Admiralty Bay Bequia, Thursday 8th November 2012

Ocean Star, a 50 ft. Beneteau was anchored by Princess Margaret Beach just off the point leading to Lower Bay. Some time between 3 am and 6 am on Thursday 8 November 2012 (a rainy night) the boat was boarded and items were stolen. The owners were asleep in the forward berth during the incident and did not know someone had come aboard. Items stolen included 2 phones, a kindle, a Leatherman and around $100.00 EC. The owners did not discover the burglary until they awoke at 7 am the next morning.

The following is a summary of what the owners think most likely happened.

We were up late reading, I went to bed at 12:45 doing my usual cockpit and surrounding area checks before going to bed. Steve was still up reading in the salon with the lights on. At 03:00 I awoke and got Steve to turn off the lights and come to bed. At 05:40 (I have a clock by the bed) I awoke and noticed the hatches between our bed and the bathroom were open and the floor was all wet from the rain. I cursed and turned the light on then went to the bathroom. Got some towels to dry up the floor and hatches. Then went through the salon to the back ¼ berth to get another towel. I did NOT notice anything at this time, but in hindsight think I might have scared the person off the boat when I put the light on. I went back to bed and awoke again at 06:45.

This time when I went out into the salon I noticed Steve’s backpack up in the cockpit on the floor. I got distracted by also noticing that the hatch over his desk in the port side aft room was also open and rain had come in there also. After cleaning that up I went to check on the backpack up in the cockpit. It was on the floor by the closed back door to the swim platform with all the compartments open. I knew it was NOT there when I went to bed and it was just a little damp, not wet like the cockpit cushions from all the rain during the night. Steve confirmed that there was no reason his backpack (where the Leatherman was kept) should be in the cockpit especially since he had not used it the day before, and it should have been in the ¼ berth where he always puts it away. It was then that we realized our phones, that was out on the center island in the salon, were gone.

It was at this moment that we realized that someone had come on board while we were sleeping and taken things. A very disturbing feeling! We kept a “fake” “throw down” wallet on this center island also and the cash was all gone. As we looked around we discovered my kindle was also gone. Thankfully still sitting on the salon table 3 feet away was my computer, and Steve’s computer was still back in his office.

We do have a sensor mat that at night we place under the rug at the companionway that rings a doorbell in our bedroom. Whoever came on board stepped over this. NO one had been on board to know that this mat is used at night, so either he got lucky or they know about these “security” mats and avoid stepping on rugs.

It is a very unpleasant feeling knowing someone was on our boat. We are extremely thankful that the intruder did not come into our forward berth, and try to get more money from us and know we are lucky by only having a few items taken.

We feel the island of Bequia and the Grenadines as a whole need to take these incidents much more seriously. We did file a police report but do not expect to hear much from them. We heard talk that they know who this “cat burglar” is, but can’t do anything about it. We hope that is not the case and that something will be done to add security to the anchorages. We want to come and visit and spend money on these beautiful islands, but if incidents like this keep occurring we will stop coming.

Our thanks to Sally Erdle of Caribbean Compass for passing on this report. It can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/341518759227037/.

You are here: Home / General / Piracy & Security / St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Bequia, Admiralty Bay: Night Burglary – November 2012

Views

View Edit Sharing

State: Published ▼

Actions ▼

St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Bequia, Admiralty Bay: Night Burglary – November 2012

By Sue Richards — last modified Nov 12, 2012 12:39 PM — History

Published: 2012-11-12 00:00:00

Topics: Piracy Reports 2012

Countries: St Vincent & the Grenadines

Burglary in Admiralty Bay Bequia, Thursday 8th November 2012

Ocean Star, a 50 ft. Beneteau, was anchored by Princess Margaret Beach just off the point leading to Lower Bay. Some time between 3 am and 6 am on Thursday 8 November 2012 (a rainy night) the boat was boarded and items were stolen. The owners were asleep in the forward berth during the incident and did not know someone had come aboard. Items stolen included 2 phones, a kindle, a Leatherman and around $100.00 EC. The owners did not discover the burglary until they awoke at 7 am the next morning.

The following is a summary of what the owners think most likely happened.

We were up late reading, I went to bed at 12:45 doing my usual cockpit and surrounding area check before going to bed. Steve was still up reading in the salon with the lights on. At 03:00 I awoke and got Steve to turn off the lights and come to bed. At 05:40 (I have a clock by the bed) I awoke and noticed the hatches between our bed and the bathroom were open and the floor was all wet from the rain. I cursed and turned the light on then went to the bathroom. Got some towels to dry up the floor and hatches. Then went through the salon to the back ¼ berth to get another towel. I did NOT notice anything at this time, but in hindsight think I might have scared the person off the boat when I put the light on. I went back to bed and awoke again at 06:45.

This time when I went out into the salon I noticed Steve’s backpack up in the cockpit on the floor. I got distracted by also noticing that the hatch over his desk in the port side aft room was also open and rain had come in there also. After cleaning that up I went to check on the backpack up in the cockpit. It was on the floor by the closed back door to the swim platform with all the compartments open. I knew it was NOT there when I went to bed and it was just a little damp, not wet like the cockpit cushions from all the rain during the night. Steve confirmed that there was no reason his backpack (where the Leatherman was kept) should be in the cockpit especially since he had not used it the day before, and it should have been in the ¼ berth where he always puts it away. It was then that we realized our phones, that were out on the center island in the salon, were gone.

It was at this moment that we realized that someone had come on board while we were sleeping and taken things. A very disturbing feeling! We kept a “fake” “throw down” wallet on this center island also and the cash was all gone. As we looked around we discovered my kindle was also gone. Thankfully still sitting on the salon table 3 feet away was my computer, and Steve’s computer was still back in his office.

We do have a sensor mat that at night we place under the rug at the companionway that rings a door bell in our bedroom. Whoever came on board stepped over this. NO one had been on board to know that this mat is used at night, so either he got lucky or they know about these “security” mats and avoid stepping on rugs.

It is a very unpleasant felling knowing someone was on our boat. We are extremely thankful that the intruder did not come into our forward berth, and try to get more money from us and know we are lucky by only having a few items taken.

We feel the island of Bequia and the Grenadines as a whole need to take these incidents much more seriously. We did file a police report but do not expect to hear much from them. We heard talk that they know who this “cat burglar” is, but can’t do anything about it. We hope that is not the case and that something will be done to add security to the anchorages. We want to come and visit and spend money on these beautiful islands, but if incidents like this keep occurring we will stop coming.

Our thanks to Sally Erdle of Caribbean Compass for passing on this report. It can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/341518759227037/.

Related content

Port Elizabeth (Bequia)