Steps You Can do to Protect Your Boat.
Boat thefts are on the rise along the west coast of Florida and fast, multi-engine, higher end vessels capable of carrying enough fuel to reach distant drop-off points are the targets.
Police task forces and local law enforcement agencies agree that thieves are very well organized and well informed as to the whereabouts of their targets and their owner’s habits, making them very difficult to stop.
Cannons Marina on Longboat Key took a proactive step October 29 to try and put a halt to local boat thefts by inviting boat owners, representatives from the Longboat Key Police Department and U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez to discuss the situation and steps owners can take to protect their boats to the greatest extent possible.
Over 50 concerned owners attended the two-hour meeting and all found it informative and valuable. Bennie Parrish, Cannons’ Marina Manager and the person responsible for bringing together owners and law enforcement agents said of the get together, “our owners are very concerned about these recent thefts and what can be done to thwart the thieves’ efforts.
This is a great example of many agencies working together to solve what has become a serious problem here and all attending were appreciative of what they’re doing to put an end to these thefts.”
Police officers and the U.S. Coast Guard agreed that the best deterrent is to install throttle and steering locks, which may frustrate thieves enough to make them leave the scene.
Among other suggestions were:
- Placing locking power hoist circuit breakers in a secure location and making sure power is turned off when not in use
- Checking with home security companies on options for installing additional equipment to cover the hoist and dock area
- Installing motion sensor lights around boats
- Installing web cams onboard that allow for remote viewing
- Removing keys and locking all onboard compartments
- Informing neighbors about the situation, asking for their vigilance and offering your own
- Installing anti-theft alarm devices on or inside your boat
- Always reporting suspicious activity to local authorities
- Immediately reporting suspicious activity and not confronting someone you suspect
- Review and update your boat insurance policy to ensure you are covered satisfactorily
