SUNRISE, Fla. – A U-Haul truck was used to steal a boat in Sunrise, but it’s what happened afterwards that really shocked the victim.
“We live in a place where people are not all nice and pretty, you know?” said the victim, whose name is not being released as Sunrise police continue to investigate.
According to the victim, after cameras captured the brazen theft outside his family business in Sunrise early Sunday morning, he took to social media to try and find his boat: a blue and turquoise 21-foot Tidewater 210 LFX with Jigkingz.com written on the side.
He said soon after, he was bombarded with phone calls and messages from strangers demanding money.
“I would answer a phone call and it would be like, ‘Hey I see your boat,’” said the victim. “Then I would tell them, ‘OK, where?’ and they don’t give me a location, they request money and stuff like that.”
In one of the messages, the victim was sent video proof that his boat was still intact.
Different numbers and profiles were used across apps like Instagram and WhatsApp to send the message, the victim told Local 10.
Some of the strangers claimed they randomly found the boat, but wanted money for the location. The victim even offered $500, which one of the messengers scoffed at, insinuating it wasn’t enough.
The use of a U-Haul truck isn’t a new crime trend either.
Local 10 News has covered dozens of cases involving stolen U-Hauls being used across South Florida to commit other crimes.
The victim says the crook broke a lock to a trailer in order to access the boat. He said he has insurance, but added that the boat holds sentimental value as it is integral to his fishing lure business.
He’s hoping for some act of kindness and for police to find the people responsible.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Sunrise police or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.