Two boats belonging to 麻豆精选 residents have been stolen and returned within one week thanks to vigilance and collaboration from the public.
On July 17, a pontoon boat was stolen from a property on Lakeshore Road, prompting the 麻豆精选 RCMP to issue a press release asking the public to keep an eye out for the missing vessel. Hours later the boat was spotted adrift near the Eldorado Hotel and was towed to a nearby dock where the owner claimed it.
Then, on July 18, a red Hewescraft boat and trailer were reported as stolen after disappearing from a residence on Poplar Point Drive overnight.
Police issued another plea for information, asking people to check their security cameras for footage that may help to recover the boat. Typically, when large items like boats are stolen, time is of the essence as thieves quickly strip and ship the stolen goods.
鈥淚n many cases when we see boats stolen on trailers, they鈥檙e immediately taken out of town or into the next province to either be sold or stripped,鈥� said Cpl. Michael Gauthier of the 麻豆精选 RCMP.
Shortly after issuing the press release on July 18, the RCMP received numerous calls from the public who had seen the stolen boat on the lake.
Callers told police they had observed the boat out on the lake earlier in the morning with two occupants who were possibly fishing.
One caller informed both the boat owner and the RCMP that the vessel was unoccupied and tied to a buoy at Okanagan Centre.
West 麻豆精选 Mounties then boated over to Okanagan Centre with the owner in an RCMP vessel and recovered the boat, which was still tied to the buoy.
Lake Country RCMP simultaneously located and recovered the trailer at a local boat launch.
鈥淭his is a great example of everyone coming together and returning this woman鈥檚 property,鈥� said Cpl. Gauthier. 鈥淧eople recognized the boat from the media stories, phoned it in like we asked, and three of our local detachments played a part in recovering both the boat and the trailer."
While there is some damage to the ignition of the boat and a bit of a mess left behind by the thieves, but the owner is very happy, according to Cpl. Gauthier.
The theft remains under investigation and police are now asking anyone in the Okanagan Centre area who may have video or information regarding the launching of the boat to please phone the 麻豆精选 RCMP and reference file number 2024-40578.
