Thieves in Viequez, Spanish Virgins Warning

[SharAndy]

I see a Feb. 2012 thread about theft and boardings in Vieques, but wanted to start a new one so it is 'higher' up on the list. I wish I'd seen the old one before having our 12' dink stolen last week. Chained, locked to a log, on the beach where there is a Security Guard driving his ATV, motor w big lock; etc. Gone in 15 minutes. However, of even MORE concern is that the Police told us this is a common occurrence; told us to not leave our boat unattended due to problems with drugs, etc. Once we arrived in Puerto Rico to buy another dink and engine, every person on PR that we mentioned our problem to, incuding the Marina Staff, said, "Oh yes. No one from here goes to Viequez, because they steal everything." I have notified the Security & Safety Website (wish others would report their thefts - nothing was there when I looked PRIOR to going there) and have written emails to the Vieques Tourist Department and anyone else I could find an address for. Their response was 'gee whiz, sorry you had a problem...nothing about trying to fix their crime rate'. Boaters BEWARE.

[Katiusha]

Could you maybe also include this info on Noonsite: The global site for cruising sailors?

[Jacob217]

I've heard of it as well. This guy who writes on yacht security has a few posts about the problem there and now in Belize as well. (not my blog)

Troubles in Belize | Personal Security for Cruisers

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Jacob217

I've heard of it as well. This guy who writes on yacht security has a few posts about the problem there and now in Belize as well. (not my blog)

Troubles in Belize | Personal Security for Cruisers

Hello All,

Went to this site that then tried to link me to the information on channel5belize.com Norton flagged the link as contaminated with Malware.

[zeehag]

dinghies are stolen world wide. i thought ye meant REAL thieving.....

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by zeehag

dinghies are stolen world wide. i thought ye meant REAL thieving.....

Just stop it.

Worldwide perhaps, but not everywhere.

Been to countless countries where we left the dinghy on the beach, unattended and not secured, nothing ever happened.

I am sorry the same cannot be said of some places and too bad Spanish Virgins are one of them.

PS As far as Noonsite is concerned here for a source of relevant information: some time ago I reported a dink stolen in Cabo Verde. They refused to post a warning mumbling something along the lines of political correctness or some similar nonsense. This year only dinks got stolen there from three other boats I know of (one retrieved, at ransom). Thanks for co-op Noonsite!

Sure, dinghies get stolen world wide so why should we care ;-)

Barnakiel steals them!

NOT.

Locals steal them: in Viequez, Cabo Verde, Brazil and Venezuela, to name but a few.

;-)
b

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

PS As far as Noonsite is concerned here for a source of relevant information: some time ago I reported a dink stolen in Cabo Verde.

Which island, which port was yours stolen at?

[barnakiel]

Isla Sal, anchorage off Santa Maria. Two dinghies.

One more in another location. This one was released, at steep ransom.

b.

[mbianka]

I was on a charter in January in the U.S.V.I and Spanish Virgins. We were going to head to Culebra and Viequez. When we heard the local scuttlebutt about what was happening at Viequiez it was decided to stay around Culebra. It was the Captain's decison but, it sounds like it was a good plan.

[micksbuddy]

dinghies are stolen world wide. i thought ye meant REAL thieving.....

Considering that most dinghys represent a significant investment and therefore require big $ to replace, I'd definitely say that dinghy theft is REAL thieving!

[svBeBe]

Just a short word...which city in the USA has absolutely no car thefts???

Please do not eliminate any place around the world because someone stole something, or because someone says that theft is commonplace. If you choose to leave a $7,000 dinghy and motor unattended in a strange place, be sure that you have proper insurance.

Bill

[zeehag]

to minimize thefts of dinghies there are certain measures to take in prevention...such as locking to boat AND raising out of water.. ALWAYS do this.. and lock dink to boat while lifted..

too many are not locked yet complain of thefts....

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by zeehag

... too many are not locked yet complain of thefts....

Yep. Lock your dinghy and secure it if you are in a country full of thieves. The good news is there are also countries where you just leave the dinghy on the beach or at the dock UNSECURED and imagine what it is still there when you come back some time later!

b.

[Chris W]

This is sad, I have been to Vieques many times and it is beautiful there.

I have left the dinghy unlocked and unattended many times with no ill consequences, then again it was certainly not the nicest nor newest dinghy around either. I guess some times it pays to have things that are not nice enough to attract thieves.

[Bradley]

My dinghy was stolen at noon on Christmas Day. I would never consider returning to that corrupt place. The police don't care and act like taking a report is a big imposition on them.

On such a small island with so little population, you cannot tell me the police do not know who is committing all of the crime. It defies imagination. The crime is so rampant against boaters that previous posters about crime in the USA are way off base. One in two or three cars are not stolen every week.