DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – Just about two weeks after authorities in the Florida Keys announced the bust of a multi-million dollar theft ring targeting boaters across the state, a theft caught on camera at a Deerfield Beach marina has detectives investigating whether it, too, is part of an organized effort.
It happened at around 4 a.m. Wednesday at the Cove Marina, located at 1756 SE Third Court.
Video taken from the marina shows the masked and motivated thieves walking around a condo building along the seawall, apparently to avoid being seen, then walking back to a boat to cut and strip its electronics.
Capt. Kyle Sherman, the boat’s owner, said he’s “disgusted” by what happened. He said it will cost roughly $40,000 to replace and reinstall the electronics.
“They know what they’re doing,” Sherman said. “They know exactly what they’re doing and what they want.”
Fellow boaters are seeing a trend.
“They’re worth $50,000,” Sherman’s friend and boater Richard Kelley said. “Another boat got robbed just a couple months ago; they got all his electronics too.”
Boaters hoped the nightmare was over after Monroe County deputies and other law enforcement agencies announced the arrests of 10 men accused of stealing $2.5 million in GPS units from boats across Florida.
Authorities said the suspects were specifically targeting Garmin equipment.
“It’s happened to a lot of people,” Sherman said. “I know they busted those people down in the Keys but there’s obviously another ring.”
As boaters beef up security, several law enforcement agencies are investigating the Deerfield Beach case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.