Two Nanaimo men have been arrested in connection with the theft of two boats in the Nanaimo area.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, investigators apprehended both men Aug. 22 in the Shoreline Drive area, allegedly in possession of two stolen boats.
One of the craft was recently taken from the Nanaimo Port Authority Boat Basin in downtown Nanaimo and the other from Mudge Island.
Both men were arrested without incident and taken into police custody.
David Robert Malcolm, 38, and Ian Raymond Seward, 40, have been charged with two counts each of possession of stolen property over $5,000.
The men were released from custody Aug. 23 and are expected to make their first court appearance in provincial court in Nanaimo on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
No additional charges are pending against the suspects, who investigators believe may have been involved in a rash of boat thefts in the Nanaimo area from May 14 to Aug. 14 when 13 boats were stolen.
“Coincidentally, once these two individuals were arrested, we have not had a reported boat theft since Aug. 14,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “Having said that, we have nothing to indicate that they were involved in others, but we suspect that they were.”
The majority of those thefts occurred in the Boat Basin and in most cases the boats targeted were not locked or, if they were, the lock was ineffective.
Police recommend boat owners buy solid locks to secure their watercraft, check up on them frequently and get to know other boat owners and people who frequent marinas where their boats are stored.
“People are leaving their boats unattended for long periods of time and it’s kind of like a Block Watch,” O’Brien said. “You have to get to know your neighbours and you start looking out for each other when you make that connection.”
Some basic tips to ensure boats does not fall into the hands of thieves include investing in heavy duty locks and chains to keep boats secured at all times when not in use. All valuables should be removed or kept them out of sight. Photos of the boat, motor and valuables can assist investigators. The hull identification numbers, make, model and serial numbers of boats and motors should be recorded, and suspicious activity should be reported to police immediately.
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