RCMP are seeing more items, inflatables and outboard motors being stolen from moored boats and remote cabins during the winter months. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

OPPORTUNISTIC CRIME

Thefts from seasonal cabins & boats on the rise during winter months

Mar 8, 2022 | 3:30 PM

NANAIMO — Mounties have noted a recent uptick in crime involving boats and cabins not often used in the cooler winter months.

The RCMP’s West Coast Marine unit, which patrols waters around Vancouver Island and up the B.C. coast have seen an increase in thefts of boats and valuables stored in locked, remote cabins in early 2022.

Cst. David Kokesch told NanaimoNewsNOW summer homes or long-term moored boats which aren’t checked frequently present easy targets for thieves.

“A lot of the people have locked up their cabins or closed their boats down and leave them down at the marina for the year. A lot of times the cabins especially are in remote areas where you’re not going to just drive there to check it, or the boats are down at the marina covered up so they’re not checked that often.”

A fresh trail can be the difference for investigators in recovering items or writing them off.

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It’s recommended cabin and boat owners, or a representative, check on their property at least once or twice a month in a bid to alert police earlier if things go missing.

“On an investigation like this you like to have things be a little fresher whether it be for our ident people when it comes to fingerprinting or just the fact the cabins and having a bit fresher of a trail to work on,” Kokesch added.

The most common items stolen include small inflatable boats attached to larger vessels.

Kokesch said they are easily lifted from boats and provide a quick getaway.

“Things like generators that might be left on the outside of a vessel or a cabin, anything that’s easy access that can be sold or pawned is what we find.”

Taking down serial numbers of valuable items as well as engraving an identifiable piece of your information such as a drivers license number can be ways to recover your items after the fact.

In January, an inflatable boat with outboard motor was reported stolen from the North Cowichan area. Police were able to track down the thief and charge them with possession of property obtained by crime over $5000.

The same person was also connected to a similar theft in the Sidney area.

In total, around $20,000 of boats, motors and generators have been recovered by police in recent months.

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