Folks
I would like to advise those who may
cruise to St Michaels MD of the situation there last week. I witnessed two
boat thefts. One a
dinghy and one a 35ft
Jeanneau sailboat. Both were reported to DNR but not recovered until much later and then only on the action of local sailors. Please see the link below:
http://www.sailjazz.com/stolenboat.php
I had witnessed the person who stole this
Jeanneau 35 and spoke with this person over the course of 5 days anchored in St Mikes. A young guy who talked a really good story but things did not add up. The
boat is AKIZUKI II. He said it was new, it was 2001, he said he got it 28 days ago, but in fact it was documented in JAN. He said "Akizuki" meant warrior when in fact it is japanese for Red Moon. He was a CON!
Please be aware that when I first spoke with DNR on my suspicion that had NO WAY of consulting a list of stolen boats! Each report is made locally and there is NO central database for anyone to check. It would be up to the individual to find the officer responsible for the report in the local jurisdiction where it was repored stolen. Unreal. IN fact, a DNR police officer WAS ON the boat Thurs, Sep 1, to recover the
dinghy that was stolen from a boat in a slip at St Michaels Marina! He had no clue the boat was stolen and DID NOTHING. Since the dink was stolen by a local drunk and the people whose dink it was were happy to get it back and get out of town, they did not press charges.
The Jeanneau 35 was recovered when a boat sailing to St Mikes noticed it from a flyer at their marina put up by the owners!
Please be advised of local crime in St Michaels MD and in the larger sense, these issues of boat theft. MAKE certain your dinghy is secure for the evening, locked if possible, ignition kill switch taken out at the very least.
Please be advised that any reports of suspicious activity on any boat may not be connected back to the rightful owner unless you make such a report to the jurisdiction where it was reported stolen.
WRITE DNR AND TELL THEM TO CREATE A CENTRAL DATABASE FOR STOLEN
BOATS. Geezz....it might cost $5 a month for a website. Please take a moment to write the
Maryland DNR and your local DNR.
Thank you for your consideration.
John
s/v Invictus