California Has A Growing Boat Theft Problem

Far too many people think pirates are a historical profession like dairy maid or lantern lighter. However, a growing number of boat owners in California are learning pirates are all too real. Even though they might not wear eye patches and keep a parrot on their shoulder, these swashbucklers are making off with a growing number of private watercraft, causing big headaches in the Golden State.

Check out the giant lizards that invaded a racetrack recently here.

What started with a rash of car thefts and other property crimes in places like the Bay Area has spread to the water. The rate of boat thefts in places like Oakland marinas is skyrocketing with several swiped per week lately.

The problem is so bad, CBS New Bay Area says some residents don’t think the police can or will help. That report details out how one man’s boat, which he’d outfitted to help in the case of an earthquake or other natural disaster, was stolen and crashed on some rocks.

But what really frustrated that man was he saw people on the boat still, so he called police, who he says refused to help recover the vessel. Only once his insurance provider contacted authorities was it pulled off the rocks. By then the thieves had stripped everything they wanted from the boat, including fighting chairs, GPS equipment, and handguns.

In a report from San Francisco Chronicle, some Oakland boat owners blamed the spike in crime on a homeless encampment near the marina.

However, a Daily Mail investigation uncovered that at least some of the boat thefts were being committed by crooks trolling marinas at night in dinghies. By approaching on the small craft in the dark, they’re able to slip onto ships relatively unnoticed, either stealing small but valuable items or taking the entire boat.

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Back in 2022 there was a famous case of boat theft when a stolen yacht slammed into several other boats and a dock in Orange County, California. Video of the incident was uploaded to Instagram, gaining quite a bit of attention. The suspect in that case, 38-year-old Joel Siam, was caught and charged with grand theft of a boat and possession of a stolen boat.

The CBS News report also mentioned someone having to defend themselves against pirates in an Oakland marina. Thankfully, that victim was armed with a gun and so could fight off the assailants, who apparently are always armed with knives or firearms.

As for the man in Oakland who lost his natural disaster preparedness boat, he said people are the marina don’t even bother calling police for help anymore. “See, we’re going to handle it ourselves,” he told the reporter. People are frustrated by crime running amok unchecked.

So pirates have made a comeback in California and it sounds like the problem will get worse before a solution is found.