For residents in St. Petersburg, FL home security is not their only worry. A new report lists the surrounding Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL area as No. 2 in the nation for watercraft thefts. Furthermore the report lists Florida as the No. 1 state, according to an advocacy organization.
From 2009 until May 2011, about 202 of the 3,940 watercraft reported stolen from Florida came from the Tampa area, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported. Miami had the most thefts in the state in the period, with 668. A little less than half of Florida's stolen craft were recovered, the report said. Only 66 vessels stolen in Tampa were recovered. Nearly half in Miami were. Seven other Florida cities rounded out the worst 10 places for watercraft theft.
The type most commonly stolen was not classified, but second on the list was a group that includes canoes, dinghies, dories, johnboats, kayaks, lifeboats, paddle boats, rowboats, skulls and skiffs. Water bikes and runabouts were next.
This information comes on the heels of another alleged boat theft in the area. As an owner of a boat and yacht brokerage company and another man were arrested on grand theft charges after authorities said they sold stolen boats overseas, the sheriff's deputies said.
The owner was arrested Thursday on charges of scheme to defraud and four counts of grand theft. He was being held on $40,000 bail Friday with his other two accomplices, on three counts of grand theft.
The investigation began in August after deputies received a complaint that owner of this particular boating company was stiffed customers on the sale of three boats. Deputies said the owner accepted the boats on consignment, with the agreement that he would take a commission on sales. However, he never paid the owners or the lending company.
Authorities began their surveillance of the owner, seeing he and others shrink-wrapping a stolen model boat for shipment to Australia at a local storage lot. The men were arrested recently as they were taking the boat out of the lot. Deputies operating under a search warrant then found four more stolen boats and trailers at the lot. The vessels, all between 21 and 25 feet, were a Boston Whaler, a Pro Line center console, a Century center console and a Century walk-around, deputies said. Deputies said the owner was observed stealing the Century walk-around on a St. Petersburg, FL home security surveillance camera in the area.
From 2009 until May 2011, about 202 of the 3,940 watercraft reported stolen from Florida came from the Tampa area, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported. Miami had the most thefts in the state in the period, with 668. A little less than half of Florida's stolen craft were recovered, the report said. Only 66 vessels stolen in Tampa were recovered. Nearly half in Miami were. Seven other Florida cities rounded out the worst 10 places for watercraft theft.
The type most commonly stolen was not classified, but second on the list was a group that includes canoes, dinghies, dories, johnboats, kayaks, lifeboats, paddle boats, rowboats, skulls and skiffs. Water bikes and runabouts were next.
This information comes on the heels of another alleged boat theft in the area. As an owner of a boat and yacht brokerage company and another man were arrested on grand theft charges after authorities said they sold stolen boats overseas, the sheriff's deputies said.
The owner was arrested Thursday on charges of scheme to defraud and four counts of grand theft. He was being held on $40,000 bail Friday with his other two accomplices, on three counts of grand theft.
The investigation began in August after deputies received a complaint that owner of this particular boating company was stiffed customers on the sale of three boats. Deputies said the owner accepted the boats on consignment, with the agreement that he would take a commission on sales. However, he never paid the owners or the lending company.
Authorities began their surveillance of the owner, seeing he and others shrink-wrapping a stolen model boat for shipment to Australia at a local storage lot. The men were arrested recently as they were taking the boat out of the lot. Deputies operating under a search warrant then found four more stolen boats and trailers at the lot. The vessels, all between 21 and 25 feet, were a Boston Whaler, a Pro Line center console, a Century center console and a Century walk-around, deputies said. Deputies said the owner was observed stealing the Century walk-around on a St. Petersburg, FL home security surveillance camera in the area.
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