Ft myers beach

[soverel]

Would you under any circumstances ever cut a cable securing an outboard to an inflatable dinghy that belonged to someone else?

And if it were your outboard motor cut from the dinghy would you expect the police to tteat it as a theft?

[GordMay]

Was the outboard actually stolen; or was just the security cable cut?

[skipmac]

First, same question as Gord, was the motor actually stolen.

To answer your question, under any circumstances? I could certainly make up a completely unlikely scenario where I would. For instance, I leave my dink at a dock, I come back to find someone attached a security cable to their motor but also captured my crimped on, non-removable security cable inside theirs, leaving me locked to their dink. Then I might consider cutting their cable.

However, I suspect your question doesn't include any such situation so of course the answer is no.

If the outboard was gone then of course it was theft. Very unlikely it ran away from home on it's own. If only the cable was cut but the outboard still there then it would be damage to property. This however would likely not be considered a serious crime by the local authorities who would probably not spend the time to even write a report.

[soverel]

Cut cable. Once held my dinghy motor

The motor was removed from the dinghy. I was notified by friends a theft was occuring. Police and coast guard called. Motor returned as well as a kayak after police dispatched. When i returned i found Cabin broken into. Missing deep cycle batteries and tools etc.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by soverel

The motor was removed from the dinghy. I was notified by friends a theft was occuring. Police and coast guard called. Motor returned as well as a kayak after police dispatched.
When i returned i found Cabin broken into. Missing deep cycle batteries and tools etc.

Cable cut = vandalism.
Motor removed = attempted theft
Cabin broken into = breaking & entering
Missing batteries etc = theft

[soverel]

Cut cable. Once held my dinghy motor

And yes I know if i was robbing a bank of say two thousand dollars worth of stuff and someone saw me and called the policr and when the cops come screaming up to the site of yhe bank robbery or home invasion or whatever scene of crime i just say here i give it back. No harm no foul. I dont buy it

[Krawdad]

I feel your pain, we too have been broken into & had our 8D batteries stolen along with some much lighter trinkets. The (insert adjective here - crooks) damaged the salon floor removing them. Police called, had good info on the culprit but police couldn't have cared less.

[sailorboy1]

interesting thread title for the real real subject

[soverel]

Im kinda letting people know that Ft Myers Beach and Lee County Sheriffs Department as well as uscg vacation station do not care about boaters.

Of course I have also been awakened and boarded when something was stolen from a boat in the mooring field here.

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[soverel]

And of course the outboard is now inoperable. Showing rust. And i dont know if it was submerged after having cable cut and being physically removed from transom. Its the old story ive seen on this very forum before. Boat dragging in anchorage do you board it and sccept responsibility for it or let it drag. Just an analogy ( i like analagies lol)

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[meridian28]

I would go to the local prosecutor for an explanation. Is there a police report on file?

[soverel]

I need to do something. I just had four of them out here threatening me every which way but loose to drop this. And they were not going to do anything sbout it. Threatened to arrest me for smoking basil. Im out of freakin tobacco and well i smoke alot. I told yhem sailors are thrifty. Lol god if i couldnt laugh id cry.

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[Lake-Effect]

While the loss of personal property is alarming and feels like a violation... for the most part, police just don't want (or have the time) to vigorously investigate most small thefts. These days, the effort and cost required to obtain a conviction is in most cases a multiple of the actual loss.

Our house has been broken into a couple of times, til we had our renos done and new doors etc. It's pretty clear to me that in the absence of irrefutable evidence (eg video, reliable witnesses or being caught red-handed), most small thefts go unsolved, and the loss is resolved by insurance. Though in your case, were there not witnesses (your friends) and redhandedness?

Anyway... it was only stuff, and the main lines of defense are: good insurance and better locks.

(also, there are ways to fix dunked outboards... you should get to that ASAP)

[rognvald]

"Threatened to arrest me for smoking basil. Im out of freakin tobacco and well i smoke alot." Soverel


Soverel,
Two things: the last time we were in Ft. Meyers beach(2005) anchored in the "New" mooring field, the harbor was full of commercial offshore Shrimp boats moored on the North end of the harbor. They had a serious crack cocaine problem among the "sailors" on these boats which created continual mayhem in the form of thefts, stabbings, fights, and garbage in the harbor. There were also some reported murders. Perhaps it has changed.
But, with this in mind and the past experiences of the police, how should they have responded when you were filing a complaint(?) and you appeared to be smoking weed? Is this an honest, naive innocence on your part or were you hoping for a response from the police? We also have no idea how you were dressed at the time. Florida is full of dirt bag boaters. Perhaps their response to you was based upon that stereotype. Perhaps you can fill us in with more details since it would be certainly unjust and unprofessional for the police to have treated you badly and dismissed an obvious theft. How about some more details?

[soverel]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

While the loss of personal property is alarming and feels like a violation... for the most part, police just don't want (or have the time) to vigorously investigate most small thefts. These days, the effort and cost required to obtain a conviction is in most cases a multiple of the actual loss.

Our house has been broken into a couple of times, til we had our renos done and new doors etc. It's pretty clear to me that in the absence of irrefutable evidence (eg video, reliable witnesses or being caught red-handed), most small thefts go unsolved, and the loss is resolved by insurance. Though in your case, were there not witnesses (your friends) and redhandedness?

Anyway... it was only stuff, and the main lines of defense are: good insurance and better locks.

(also, there are ways to fix dunked outboards... you should get to that ASAP)

Yes i know all about pickling an outboard. But that has to be done immediately after coming out of the water. If it was even in the water.




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