The modern-day pirate has docked in Campbell River, as police see a spike in thefts from vessels around town.
With summer upon us and boating season in full swing, Cst. Maury Tyre says the Campbell River RCMP is receiving numerous reports of thefts from boats parked in driveways.
“We know people want to get their boats ready at night for when they go out in the morning. But unfortunately, what’s happening is they’re getting out to their boats and they’re finding out that they’ve got items missing,” Tyre explains. “It ruins a totally perfect day.”
With this in mind, Tyre urges boat owners to remove any valuables when not aboard, like downriggers, fishing rods, tackle, and water sports gear. According to Tyre, the latter of which is in ‘high demand’ right now.
“Just stashing your items in your cuddy cabin inside the driveway is not going to work. These individuals are actually casing out locations during the day. They’re spotting things that you do have on your boat and they will be coming out looking for them at different times.”
But for those who must leave items of value on their boat, Tyre notes it’s important to write down the serial numbers of these items before storing and securing them in a safe place.
“If you’ve got your boat in your driveway, please make sure it’s properly secured. A $5 lock that you picked up from the dollar store is not adequate protection for your boat and for your trailer,” Tyre adds.
He continues, “There are all sorts of options available. You can get a boot for the tire on your trailer, you can actually get lock hitches that go into the actual hitch.”
“If somebody really wants something, obviously they can find a way to steal it. But at 2:00 in the morning, if someones going to spend an hour with a grinder, there’s a good chance that it’s going to bring some sort of call to the police to stop these people in the act.”
According to Tyre, police have been able to catch some thieves red-handed. However, he notes some are harder to catch than others. “But we are seeing a definite increase in thefts from vessels in the community and there are limits to where we can be and what we can prevent,” Tyre explains.
At the end of the day, Tyre reiterates the ‘best prevention’ local boat owners can do for themselves is to remove valuables from their boats.
