The Port of Camas-Washougal has recently been the target of several boat thefts, including one incident involving a thief in a wet suit wading through water to gain access to the locked marina.
Port CEO David Ripp sent out an advisory Monday warning boat owners of what is being described as targeted boat thefts. Three boats have been stolen out of the marina in less than two months, Ripp said.
Facilities Manager Jeramy Wilcox said the thefts happened Sept. 2 and 9 and Oct. 19.
Newly installed security cameras are working well, he said, and there is clear footage of two of the thefts captured from several of the cameras in the marina area.
The earliest theft was at the unsecured breakwater dock and was not recorded, Wilcox said.
Both Ripp and Wilcox said they’ve never seen a similar rash of thefts at the port or anything as peculiar as someone donning diving gear to take off with a boat.
“I have been here almost 11 years, and I think this is the first year this has happened,” Ripp said. “We have had some items taken off tenants’ boats, but we advise them to not leave anything (onboard). It will only attract someone to steal it.”
The suspect in the Sept. 9 theft entered the marina from private property to the west, Wilcox said. They walked along the beach, wading through a foot of water to get there, he said. Their face was fully covered.
“Unfortunately, the thieves covered their faces, which makes identification very difficult,” Ripp said, adding that the culprits likely frequent the marina.
In the third incident, the thief wore all black clothing, Ripp said. There weren’t any other identifying features.
The boats were stolen at night, between 10:30 p.m. and midnight. Boats in the I and J rows have been the main target, because the area is easily accessible when there’s low water, Ripp said. One boat has been stolen from the D Row, he said.
“Every boat is a potential target. We believe the people stealing these boats are professionals,” Ripp said.
The port said safety and security for tenants remains its top priority, while making it difficult to steal boats from the marina is another prime concern. The port has had security cameras for more than 15 years, but toward the beginning of this year, a new system and software were installed.
Tenants may want to chain their boats to the dock, the port suggested, noting that it would cut the lock in an emergency situation and then pay to replace it.
Tenants were discouraged from approaching a thief if they catch someone in the act.
Anyone who sees someone or something out of place at the marina should call 911, and then the port at 360-835-2196.
Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Brent Waddell said deputies have responded to two boat thefts since Oct. 1.
One of the boats was a hulk — an old, unwieldy ship — which was recovered, Waddell said. The second boat was recovered before deputies finished their report, but by that time, its outboard engine had been stolen, he said.
Kim Kapp, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Police Department, said that according to crime analysts, there hasn’t been an uptick in boat thefts in Vancouver’s jurisdiction.
