DEAR BOATING NEIGHBOR…
As your sheriff, I am committed to keeping your family and your property safe. That’s why it’s important to provide you with the latest information on the crime trends affecting our community.
As we move into the summer months, we can expect more than perfect boating weather, and an increase in traveling criminals targeting your boat motors, fishing equipment, and boating electronics. These crimes usually happen in the middle of the night. Thieves target boats parked in private driveways or garages, docked at marinas, and vessels parked at storage facilities. These costly crimes usually go undetected until the following day. We know by past arrests and through regional intelligence that the suspects in most of these crimes are from out of county.
To combat this traveling criminal phenomenon we plan to utilize directed patrols and increase tactical surveillance measures, but we need you to take an active role in monitoring your property and utilize all crime prevention methods possible.
We live in paradise, and with that comes those who want to take from us what they haven’t earned. If we work together, we can send them home empty handed.
Be safe and let’s all enjoy our piece of paradise.
Protect Your Boat and Boating Equipment
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office will continue to address this current crime trend, but we need your help to make it as difficult as possible for these criminals to succeed. Here are some tips to help protect your property.
- Store your boat and trailer in a locked garage or storage warehouse with security cameras that have video recording capacity.
- Always use a “tongue lock” on your trailer hitch.
- If you park it in your driveway, turn the trailer so that the “nose” faces in rather than out, or park a vehicle in front of the trailer so that it makes it harder for a thief to move it.
- Use a high-security chain and quality lock to secure the boat and trailer to a tree, post, or other fixed object.
- If you have an outboard motor, it is a good idea to lock it to the boat.
- If you store or dock your boat, make sure all electronics and fishing gear is either removed or locked up.
- Mark your boat electronics and any personal items using your hull number (HIN).
- If you mark the trailer, do it on the underside or axle.
- Videotape or photograph all of your equipment and keep an updated inventory list.
- Consider putting an alarm on the boat. Make sure the alarm you purchase is specifically designed for marine use.
For more information, call (772) 220-7000 or visit www.mcsofl.org. #WrongExit.
