Luxury boat reported stolen

In a scenario that is becoming more familiar in the Cayman Islands, another boat was apparently stolen on Tuesday, 8 May. 

The stolen craft was a 30 foot Fountain LX, with triple Mercury 275 horsepower engines. The boat is named Bank Robber and was taken from the Grand Harbour area in Grand Cayman. 

“It was around about 5pm on Tuesday that we were cleaning the boat and preparing it to go fishing. When we returned the next morning to go fishing there was no boat in sight,” said Rene Hislop, the boat’s owner. He said people living in the vicinity of where the boat went missing said they saw suspicious activity at around 11pm on Tuesday night but were not aware of what was actually happening. 

Mr. Hislop said he had contacted police and was hopeful that there may be some way of tracking the boat. He said the vessel, which is valued at some $300,000, was insured but it was still important to him to get his boat back, despite that being the case. 

Several months ago, Cuban refugees arrived in the Cayman Islands on a boat that, when traced, was found to have been stolen from Florida. A similar incident occurred involving a boat named Risky Business that was taken from Cayman waters some time ago and was later found to have sunk in a river in Jamaica. 

Royal Cayman Islands Police Service spokeswoman Janet Dougall said, “There have been two reported boat thefts this year. It is a trend that concerns us and we are monitoring the situation. We encourage owners/operators to fuel their boats immediately before they use them as opposed to fuelling and remaining in situ for prolonged periods as that increases their vulnerability.” 

She said engines, particular small and moveable outboards, are stolen more regularly than boats, adding that, “We have also seen an increase in thefts of items from vessels such as electronics, fishing and dive gear. Owners are reminded to report any suspicious activity and provide full descriptions of anything which is stolen, including serial numbers, to police.” 

Ms Dougall also provided tips on how individuals may keep their boats safe. 

Secure the boat to the dock using chains, cables and padlocks.  

Ensure the keys and the kill switches are in your possession when the vessel is not in use – even if it is on the trailer.  

Make sure you have all hull, engine and electronics serial numbers stored for reference in case of a theft.  

Take photos of the vessel, engines and trailer, if you have one.  

Inscribe, don’t write, personal ID numbers on the engine block and inside the hull – in a place only known to you. 

Wherever the vessel is kept, make sure there is sufficient lighting. 

Do not forget to lock the trailer tongue with a padlock, whether or not the vessel is on the trailer. Trailers have also been stolen before, especially empty ones. 

“There are several items on the marine market for tracking vessels. Most of the marine and security services dealers here on island should be able to assist with obtaining these systems, some of which are relatively inexpensive,” Ms Dougall said.  

Mr. Hislop, who was in good spirits despite his ordeal, joked that the boat being named Bank Robber may have been an ominous monicker that the crooks took all too seriously. He spoke briefly about his personal perspective on the incident.  

“Life is what you make it. It’s not the end of the world. I mean you work hard your whole life to get something and then someone steals it, but you still have to be positive. It could have been worse. The boat can be replaced.”