Category: Panama

 

DATE: 2016-05-12
Country Name: Panama
Location Detail: Rio Chagres
EVENT: Burglary
Stolen Items: Hand held electronics, camera, watch, tools.
SECURED: Locked
DETAILS: At anchor one mile up from mouth of river. Off the boat in dinghy fishing. Boat locked up. Returned after two hours and saw a boat at our boat, quickly departing. Discovered locked companionway slide kicked open (minor damage) and boat ransacked. Two or three perps in 18 foot white aluminum skiff with black outboard, believed to be local fisherman. Notified soldiers on naval patrol boat at mouth of river, and they searched area for three hours in their craft, feeder streams in my dinghy, and waded up small streams. Very helpful, professional, courteous. Took full report. Also reported on the local VHF net.

 

DATE: 2015-07-27 02:00
Country Name: Panama
Location Detail: San Blas East Lemon Cays
EVENT: Burglary
Stolen Items: Three solar panels, binoculars, WiFi router, guitar, tools (set of pliers), kitchen-tools, butan-gas tank
SECURED: Locked
DETAILS: My boat was burgled in the East Lemon cays, Yansalardup-anchorage. Boat was on anchor, while I was away for some days. Boat was locked, three other sailing-boats were anchored nearby and did take care of my boat (watching it during the daytime, opening hatches every couple of days, checking bilge, etc…). Burglars came in the night, broke into my boat by forcing the door open, and stole mentioned things. Same burglars stole two days later a dinghy with outboard in the West Lemon cays from an american flagged vessel and got caught another two days later. Police found the stolen dinghy on their island. They also found my stolen solar panels. I also got some of my other stolen stuff back after some weeks with the help of a kuna who convinced the thieves to give back the stolen items to reduce the penalty for them. A report was made at the police station.