CSSN Annual Report 2018 Reported Yacht Crime – Caribbean

CSSN would like to again thank everyone who submitted incident reports, they help inform our community about potential risks. We would also like to thank those who offered constructive help and suggestions to improve our site and services, as well as the dedicated and talented volunteers whose efforts make it possible to Know Before You Go!

Annual Report
CSSN Annual Report

CSSN just keeps getting better. Subscribers to our (free) ALERTS have grown substantially, as have CSSN followers on social media. Early in 2018 we launched Zoom-Tap, Know & Go a Caribbean-wide interactive map, utilizing a device friendly, easy to navigate, and familiar Google maps interface. Each interactive map displays every incident, by location, for any time frame of interest. It has never been easier to be well informed and Know Before You Go! If you haven’t already take it for a test drive today. In May, we added a new incident category, Suspicious Activity, to better communicate about events in the high interest piracy sphere.

SSCA
CSSN is Proud to partner with SSCA and KPK (SSB 8104 12:15 UTC Daily)

CSSN remains a proud partner with the Seven Sea Cruising Association (SSCA) and the daily HF net continues on SSB 8104 12:15 UTC 365 days/year.

Proud information sharing partners with Noonsite

Our partnership with Noonsite has strengthened further, we are now sharing more information easily between our two sites, enabling us both to bring our audiences even more timely and complete information.

 

2018 saw a significant increase in total reported incidents in the Caribbean basin, up 27% from 88 in 2017 to 112 in 2018. Nonviolent incidents increased 42% from the prior year, from 74 to 105. Thankfully, violent incidents decreased 50% from 14 to 7 events in 2018, with no successful piracy events reported, a welcome change from 2017, albeit against a backdrop of an increase in overall activity.

Risk of piracy offshore and serious incidents at anchor is likely not diminished, rather is being better managed by routing and general preparedness. The CSSN Precautions pages provide useful advice in this regard.

The mix between violent and nonviolent shifted in 2018.

The 7 violent incidents in 2018 occurred in 4 countries. Honduras recorded 3 (down from 6 in 2017) Colombia, Grenada ,Panama and Trinidad each had 1.

COUNTRY BREAKDOWN

In 2017 4 countries – St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Grenada, Panama and Honduras combined to account for more than half of all reported incidents. In 2018 4 countries -St. Lucia, SVG, Panama and Trinidad combine for slightly less than half of all reports.

St. Lucia returns to the top group after a one year absence, and had the highest total number of reported incidents (19). SVG (13) and Panama (10) are again represented in this group, while Trinidad (10) makes its first appearance, due to a large number of burglaries (7) to unoccupied, moored yachts that occurred on a single night in a single location.

While no detail charts are presented here, use the new Zoom-Tap, Know & Go infographics to review the detailed incident reports from these locations easily.

St. Lucia – A regular member of the top group (2014/5/6) St. Lucia nearly doubled the number of reports from 2017 (10) to 19 in 2018. Fifteen (15) of the reported incidents in 2018 were concentrated in the Rodney Bay area, (Reduit Beach, Gros Islet, Rodney Bay Marina and the inner lagoon). Dinghies/outboards and their contents were the primary target of the often well prepared thieves. Robust locking is advised at all times in this area, and lifting and locking essential at night, a good security habit in any location. Incidents also occurred in Vieux Fort, Marigot and Anse La Raye. Use Zoom-Tap, Know&Go to review these details.

THEFT = 16 ATTEMPTED THEFT = 2 BURGLARY = 1

SVG – A perennial member of the top group showed a small decrease in total number of events from 16 in 2017 to 13 in 2018, spread across this multi-island nation with Canouan and St. Vincent each reporting 4 incidents, Mayreau 3, and Union Island 2.

THEFT = 12 ATTEMPTED THEFT = 1

Panama– Essentially flat year to year (11/10) makes its second appearance in the top group. Affected areas include the more remote San Blas Islands (6) Linton Bay/ Marinas (3) and Bocas del Toro (1). However, under reporting of serious incidents (armed robbery) particularly in the Linton Bay area remains a problem, understating risk.

THEFT = 7 BURGLARY = 2 ROBBERY = 1

Trinidad/Tobago – Making its first appearance in the top group, Trinidad reported 10 incidents, up from 1 in 2017. 7 of 8 burglaries of unoccupied yachts at TTSA occurred on a single night. The response from stakeholders was immediate and has proven effective, increased and enhanced patrols seem to have brought the situation under control. A single incident of Suspicious Activity related to suspected piracy was reported in 2018.

BURGLARY= 8 ATTEMPTED THEFT = 1 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY = 1

Colombia, Grenada and Honduras each reported 6 incidents in 2018. The Dominican Republic, Martinique, and St. Martin (combined French and Dutch), and the USVI each added 5. All other countries reported 4 or less. Zoom-Tap, Know&Go! makes it easy to stay well informed about the details of incidents throughout the region.

Dinghies/outboards remain the most common target of thieves, with far too many left in the water overnight, and unlocked, or locked poorly with simple padlocks and easily defeated cable. Lifting has proven the best deterrent, but best when combined with visible, robust locking.

First hand reports continued to dominate in 2018, bringing the most complete and best quality information to our community. We all depend on each other to self-report, and there is more to do. Please, help everyone by getting the word out. We have worked hard to make reporting accessible, easy and private. Reporting in multiple languages (English, German, Spanish, French, Dutch and Swedish) is enabled.

Incident ReportingIf you are a victim, complete the simple online incident report, or contact net control during the daily SSCA HF broadcast (SSB 8104 kHz at 12:15 UTC). If you become aware of an incident, encourage the victims to make a direct firsthand report to CSSN. Or, make a report yourself (we will work closely with you to get all the facts available). CSSN’s site, data and resources are tools for the cruising community, and we all share responsibility to use them wisely for our mutual safety and security.

AlertsCSSN remains an all-volunteer, independent, self-funded team. Please encourage your friends to subscribe to (FREE) Alerts!, or to follow us on social media, check out the many resources available on our site and make CSSN a permanent part of your risk assessment and cruise planning process.

With your valued input CSSN informs and captains decide.

Know Before You Go!

We always welcome your feedback and suggestions, simply click the
“CONTACT US” link on any page of the CSSN website.

Safe Cruising,

Kim White and the all-volunteer CSSN team