St Maarten Yacht Burglary

[Otia]

Originally Posted by osirissail

You are dangerously close to starting another "gun thread" which is an endless debate...

Hi OsirisSail, don't want to hijack this thread but since you seem quite knowledgeable on the subject I could not resist to ask you if you know regulations regarding Taser guns? On every customs/immigration forms they ask for "firearms" but not for Taser or other stun weapons.

Friends of mine got a thieve coming aboard at night in the Tobago Cays last year. It seems nowhere is absolutely safe anymore. I'm seriously considering alternate means of defense such as nail carpets, alarm systems, motion activated lights and a Taser.

[PamlicoTraveler]

There should probably be a growing market for security systems and alarms.

Wouldn't it make sense to have lights that come on with motion detection. I would think a real bright decklight would scare a sane person off if it went off as they approached the boat.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by bahamasyacht

An owner of another burglarized vessel issued this statement:

“[It] occurred Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 4 a.m. at Marina Portofino. The security guard was mysteriously missing at the same time. The crew were on board asleep and awoke to noise, hearing robbers departing. [The robber] gained access to yacht from exterior locker with hidden key. The Yacht had been watched by professionals, we suspect a set up. This is a WARNING to yacht crews across the Caribbean.”

The captain who first reported the robbery on his vessel said that he now knows of 12 other vessels that have been burglarized.
Posted by: Janine at 20/01/2011 15:12

That simply doesn't make any sense????? is the claim that the robber was inside the locker all the time? From the looks of that Video clip he just walked onboard...........Not sure what the thinking is from turning up in the 3rd world with defacto a bucketload of cash and then leaving it unprotected whilst falling asleep.........in my book that sounds almost like it would be rude not to .

Welcome to the Freemarket

[kenny chaos]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Are they sure it's a knife and not a pry bar?

Good call. Stop it at 52 seconds and see. Go to full screen for better view.

[Privleoplag]

maybe it's like spreading rumors of my favorite camping spot... I wouldn't go there, the bugs will eat you alive, it stinks like a swamp, there's no facilities, someone drove over a tent once, it's just loud kids there all the time, etc. etc..

This will work the same way.. Saint Martin will go off the list as places to stop and it will become the best place.. sounds like it once was.

[rover88]

The last thing I want to do is offend the politically correct sensibilities of some on this forum or hijack this into a “weapons” thread.

That said, I’d like to point out that these days defense of oneself and property is a very precarious endeavor no matter where you are.

It is nearly impossible to effectively understand the myriad of weapons laws in the fifty states of the U.S., much less foreign laws. A Taser expels a projectile under pressure and is therefore classified as a firearm in many jurisdictions. You could easily find yourself in as much trouble possessing a Taser as you would if you had been toting an AK-47.

Even your cheap plastic Orion flare gun is considered a firearm in several jurisdictions (including New York City – with a mandatory one year in jail for adhering to Coast Guard regulations).

Unfortunately, modern life holds many pitfalls and dangers – sadly as many from our governments as from the criminal element.

[Vega1860]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

There should probably be a growing market for security systems and alarms.

Wouldn't it make sense to have lights that come on with motion detection. I would think a real bright decklight would scare a sane person off if it went off as they approached the boat.

That is what I have been thinking for some time now. Just have not figured out how to do it yet.

[kenny chaos]

There's some good stuff advertised on these very pages.
Watch the ads.
One of these is advertized here also and may be cheaper than e-bay.Designers Edge L-951 Motion Activated Halogen Solar Flo on eBay!

[Zanshin]

I am anchored within 100 yards of the Marina Portofino. I was anchored there on the 12th and go to "Barnacle's" almost every evening. The video is most definately NOT of any boat at that marina. The cruiser's network has not had any reports of thefts or violence in the past weeks.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I am anchored within 100 yards of the Marina Portofino. I was anchored there on the 12th and go to "Barnacle's" almost every evening. The video is most definately NOT of any boat at that marina. The cruiser's network has not had any reports of thefts or violence in the past weeks.

I'm stuck in the thick plot now...........

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Therapy

I'm stuck in the thick plot now...........

Its OK.... its bash St Martin week.... happens regularly when I've been there...
Especially 'French Side'.... no US interests there...LMAO

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I am anchored within 100 yards of the Marina Portofino. I was anchored there on the 12th and go to "Barnacle's" almost every evening. The video is most definately NOT of any boat at that marina. The cruiser's network has not had any reports of thefts or violence in the past weeks.

Wow...If the video and story are bogus everyone should know. Is the OP around to discuss?

[osirissail]

Having spent weeks at a time and several months in total in St Martin over the last decade - I have found that the cruiser net rarely broadcasts break-ins, thefts, etc. There are too many and many occur to boats and people who are not interested in the morning net anyway.
- - One morning a cruiser did report a theft/break-in and up came another old-timer that remarked that "that makes 14 for this month, so far." The majority of break-ins seem to be local boats and power yachts. Cruiser reports are fewer and farther between - one because the cruiser leaves for a better place and two, few cruisers listen to the net or are charterers.

[chadlaroche]

Yachts burgled in St. Maarten's Simpson Bay | The Triton

Dockwalk - The Essential Site For Captains And Crew - Blogs

2 other links on story. I hope our journalists vet their stories before sharing

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

That simply doesn't make any sense????? is the claim that the robber was inside the locker all the time? From the looks of that Video clip he just walked onboard...........Not sure what the thinking is from turning up in the 3rd world with defacto a bucketload of cash and then leaving it unprotected whilst falling asleep.........in my book that sounds almost like it would be rude not to .

Welcome to the Freemarket

yachts leave keys hidden in lockers for the crew to use when coming home drunk,,, I know from experience,,,