Boat and trailer theft in East Naples caught on camera

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- Deputies are investigating the theft of a boat and trailer in East Naples.

A 2003 black 30-foot Contender fishing boat with dual light-blue Yamaha 200 horsepower out-board motors was stolen around midnight on Tuesday, June 2.

It was parked inside the Extra Space Storage located on Exchange Street. The boat’s trailer, a 2004 silver Continental with FL tag 4581NW, was also stolen. The trailer had a spare tire mounted on the front and the license plate is the same size as a motorcycle plate.

“If you leave your boat in an area unsecured and someone wants to steal the boat, it’s just as easy as hooking it up,” said Cpl. Efrain Hernandez with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with information is asked contact the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 239-252-9300. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).

CCSO offers these suggestions on how to protect your boat and property.

If your boat is in the water or on a trailer:

• Keep the cabin locked and the curtains closed.
• Never leave the keys in the ignition or hide spare keys on the boat.
• When out of the water, store your boat in a well-lit, secure area if possible.
• Select a marina with good security. It should be well lit and busy.
• If possible, store your boat in a locked garage, building or secure storage facility. If that is not possible, secure the trailer to something with a case-hardened chain and a quality lock.
• Consider one of the many wheel locks available on the market and use a quality tongue hitch on the trailer.
• Block the trailer against a building or other structure or vehicle.

If your boat is stored on a lift:

• Keep the power to the lift turned off, with the switch to the lift being in a remote location that’s not accessible to thieves.
• Install an alarm system and tracking device to aid in recovering the vessel in the event it is stolen.
• Some of the local marinas will install a remote switch on the vessel that keeps it from being started.
• Install an electric turn-off switch, also known as a “kill” switch, in a hidden location on the vessel.

You can also secure your boat by:

•Purchasing a GPS and keeping it inside the boat.
• Recording serial numbers, hull numbers and model information of your boat and the equipment on your boat. Make two copies. Keep one in a safe place on the boat and one at home.
• Permanently marking all electronics and other valuable equipment with your driver’s license or state-issued identification number.
• Taking pictures of your boat, boat equipment, and electronics to assist law enforcement in identifying them if stolen.
• Removing the registration from the boat when you are not using it.
• Getting to know neighboring boat owners and your boat storage or marina staff. They need to know who is normally around your boat.