DATE: 2019-02-11
Country Name: Belize
Location Detail: Placencia Harbor
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 1
Stolen Items: Cash
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: Two occupants asleep aboard a catamaran anchored in Placencia harbor, Belize were awakened by noise around 03:45 am. The vessel owner witnessed an adult male boarder exiting the cockpit overboard from port transom, capsizing his fishing canoe in his haste to escape. The boarder spoke to owner as he swam away, “I’m sinking, sir.” Owner clearly saw his face. Subsequently, the vessel occupants observed water on the floor in the saloon and discovered cash was stolen from a wallet (approx. US$120). The occupants noticed the overturned canoe drifting away and the owner launched the dinghy, retrieved the canoe, and secured it to the vessel.
After daybreak, the owner went ashore and made a full report of the incident to the Placencia Police and reviewed mug shots, identifying several individuals that could have been the intruder. The Police retrieved the canoe as evidence. The Police refused to provide a copy of the police report to the vessel owner on the grounds that it was “privacy information.” The owner went to the local tourist office to also report the incident there, but the office was closed. The owner alerted other cruising vessels in the area (~25 yachts) of the incident via VHF broadcast and answered all questions. The victim vessel departed Placencia later that morning and did not receive any further communication from the Placencia Police.