Caribbean Safety and Security Net
Know Before You Go
Part of Columbia & Central America
DATE: 2023-09-18 18:30
LOCATION: Panama – Bocas del Toro – Bocas Marina
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 2
STOLEN ITEMS: local boat / 15HP
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: Around 1800HRS a local boat was stolen from the marina dock. It was not locked . The theft was reported to the marina . It is not known if a police report was made.
ID: 3099
DATE: 2023-05-03 02:11
LOCATION: Panama – Bocas del Toro
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 1
STOLEN ITEMS: Propane tank (Tropigas)
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: When two boats in the south anchorage reported that they had propane tanks stolen, a cruiser checked his own spare tank and found it missing. Time/date are best estimates. but at least 3 boats had their propane tanks stolen.
ID: 3039
DATE: 2023-04-30 02:00
LOCATION: Panama – Bocas del Toro – Carenero
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 1
STOLEN ITEMS: Two full 3-gallon gasoline tanks
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: Before departing, owners secured their tender on the flybridge of their motor yacht which was left in a slip at Marina Carenero. The tender was covered, and the cover was tied down. During their absence , between April 25 – May 12, 2023, a thief boarded and removed 2 (full) 3 gallon gas jugs that were stored inside and below the bench seat of the covered dinghy. Their minder had not noted any disturbances, but the owners noticed the aft end of the cover was untied, and on further inspection found that the fuel jugs had been stolen. A report was made to the marina.
ID: 3035
CSSN previously reported a robbery (7-13-2019), and 2 violent assaults (11-3-2019, and 11-8-2019) in Nombre de Dios, Panama. The cases are believed to be related. Six men were taken into custody in 2019. La Prensa reports that the Panamanian courts have completed their prosecution cases and the judges have sentenced four men.
The four men have been convicted of aggravated rape, aggravated robbery and illicit association, and will each serve 20 years in prison then 5 years additional disqualification from attendance/employment in parks, kindergartens, schools or any place where minors are regularly grouped.
CSSN NEWS
Previously CSSN published a preliminary 2nd hand report (#2011) about a serious assault that occurred in Portobello, Panama on March 26, 2023. The victims have provided a full update and the original report now includes important additional information :
At 0015HRS on their second night in the bay, the three crew onboard an anchored monohull were boarded and assaulted by 2 masked/hooded men, one armed with a gun. They awoke to their dog barking as the men entered through the unlocked companionway. A vigorous fight ensued in both the salon and cockpit as the crew attempted to defend themselves with their fists and a winch handle. Two times the masked gunman attempted to discharge his semiautomatic handgun at the crew, but it failed to fire. The two ejected cartridges were recovered later, and showed no dents in the casings.
The 2 assailants abandoned the fight and departed when they realized they were outnumbered and unable to successfully fire their semiautomatic handgun. They had been onboard for about 5 minutes. They jumped into the water, leaving behind the kayak they had stolen earlier from another yacht. The bloodied crew was badly shaken and made multiple calls for help on VHF16, but there was no response. They sounded a loud alarm and began yelling from the deck, but no one anchored or ashore made any response to their calls for help. Phone calls to the police went unanswered. They treated their injuries and waited for daylight.
Later that day a police report was made with assistance ashore from a local business. The crew learned from the police that their website information was incorrect and had not been updated. The yacht departed to Linton Bay where their yacht was searched the next morning by the police with assistance from Aeronaval. No forensics were collected. That night at 2230HRs a large contingent of officers returned with a court order and again searched the victims yacht very thoroughly for several hours. Again, no forensics were collected.
A report was made to the captain’s home country consulate, and the victims departed Panama.
You can review the complete and fully updated report here.