Chalong Bay : Yachts harried by spate of break-ins

[Mid]

Phuket yachts harried by spate of break-ins
Atchaa Khamlo
Friday, April 22, 2011


After four years of anchoring his boat S/Y Simone (behind) in Chalong Bay, Roger Harris will be moving elsewhere.
Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Mr Harris shows where some of his equipment had been stowed.
Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: A 20,000-baht reward is being offered but Phuket police are still at a loss as to who is committing the thefts from yachts anchored in Chalong Bay.

An estimated 12 yachts have been broken into in the past month, with one yacht – the 20-million-baht S/Y Smoke – having suffered a reported US$6,000 in equipment losses.

Roger Harris, the 61-year-old Australian owner of S/Y Simone, is offering a reward of 20,000 baht for any information that leads to the arrest of the culprits and the return of his stolen items.

“I came back from Australia about two weeks ago to learn that my boat was broken into. They damaged the door to gain entry,” he said.

“They just took equipment that could be removed from the boat, such as GPS navigation units and television sets,” he explained.

While Mr Harris was in Australia, his wife checked on the boat every two weeks, he said.

“People keep watch on their boats all the time, but the thieves probably came during the night while the owners were not on board,” he said.

Mr Harris reported the theft to Chalong Police Duty Officer Lt Atthawat Suwannarat on April 11, but says he has heard nothing since.

“I have inspected the boats with other officers and it's currently under investigation,” Lt Atthawat told the Gazette yesterday.

“It’s hard to find the thieves as the boats were anchored in the bay, which means it was dark and there were no witnesses.

“However, we would like more information to help our investigation. Anyone who thinks he saw any boats being broken into should contact us immediately,” Lt Atthawat said.

Mr Harris thinks the thieves are professional. “They know how to remove things and to pick locks without causing much damage to the boats,” he said.

In the meantime, after four years of leaving his boat anchored in Chalong Bay, Mr Harris is now prepared to move it elsewhere.

“It’s free to anchor in Chalong Bay, but it’s not safe anymore, so I will take my boat to Yacht Haven Marina, which costs 25,000 baht a month. That’s still cheaper than hiring someone to watch the boat for me for 10,000 baht a week,” he said.

phuketgazette.net

[Sailing into trouble]

Often wondered about how safe from robbery being moored in the Chalong Bay would be. The normal mode of yacht theifs is now wait 6 weeks and then hit the same boats again and steal the replacement articles brand new!

If he has been moored free for 4 years that means he has saved 1,2 m bht on the marina fees. So he is still 1m ahead. The high end Marina fees in the area are too rich for me so decisions, decisions.

Still it sucks only had my boat brocken into twice. Low tech at the time. Flares and down rigger. Perhaps the owners could form an association. Share costs of a night patrol. Or as Thiefs look for easy targets a car alarm on a presure switch under a cockpit mat works well. Seen that happen on a neighbours boat. Flashing strobe and siren!!!

[Davis Knowlton]

It is unfortunate, but then again, leaving million dollar playthings unguarded in a port in a poor country is simply asking for it. Pull alongside in a little fishing boat in the wee hours of the morning, bust a simple door latch, and off you go with three or four months' salary for an hour's work. Surprised it doesn't happen far more often.

[NLo]

Did anyone else immediately wonder if there are too many vacancies at the 25k/month marina and the owners might have something to gain?

Just me and my general feeling about the way things are increasingly going in LOS?

[Davis Knowlton]

^Must admit it did cross my mind.

[BobR]

Perfect place for a booby trap; shotgun rigged to a door, electrified door handle, tasty looking snacks with poison left where they could not be missed, or anything else an evil mind could think up. Just a short cruise out to sea to dump the body, no witnesses.

The smell could be quite bad if he did not return for a few days.

Seriously, is there anything decent about Phuket? Everything I read about that place is a rip-off, death, accident or other corruption?

[Sailing into trouble]

Both Phuket Marina's are aimed at the top end of the International Market or those that aspire to rub shoulders. The prices are iamed at keeping the likes of me away. In many places like New Zealand, North America, Owning a Sailboat is like owning a second car,(one that needs constant maintaining) our "Marina's" reflect our status, little rough around the edges but with character

Judt like to point out. My 35 footer was built in 1984 has the dings to prove it, and only after a few pints would I price her value around A million. As much as I love my wee boat, if my Harris would like to swop

[Mid]

Phuket Boat Burglars: Another yacht owner offers reward to catch the culprits
Sunday, April 24, 2011


Big A (left) at the Phuket King’s Cup in 2009.
Owner Horst Lakits is offering a reward to catch thieves who ransacked his boat.
Photo: Guy Nowell, Guy Nowell Photography

PHUKET: The owner of yet another yacht anchored in Chalong Bay has stepped forward with an offer of a reward.

Horst Lakits, owner of the well-known Phuket yacht Big A, told the Phuket Gazette this afternoon that, “I have been living in and around Phuket since 1991, and this is the first time [my boat] has been broken into [here].

Unlike the reward offered on Friday by Roger Harris, the 61-year-old Australian owner of S/Y Simone, who offered 20,000 baht for any information that saw the thieves arrested and his belongings returned, Mr Lakits today told the Gazette: “I offer a 10,000 baht reward to catch the thieve(s) regardless of whether I get my stuff back or not.”

Mr Lakits says that he once had an externally mounted fishing reel stolen from his boat while anchored off Railay Beach in Krabi, but that this time he lost much more.

The fishing and boating gear lost in the current theft totals at least 65,000 baht, he laments.

Among the gear: a big game rod and reel (15,000 baht); another big rod and reel (10,000 baht); nine medium- to-small rods with reels (25,000 baht); a Yamaha gasoline tank (4,000 baht); a CD player (4,000 baht) that was carefully removed; and his Jimmy Buffet CD collection, which Mr Lakits says he can't put a price on.

“There were some boxes with wine and beer sitting there in the open – untouched!” he added.

“The hatch was broken open but not damaged. Also, the hatch was put back so you could not see from a distance that it had been opened,” he said.

“I go to the boat at least every second day,” he added.

The crimson-hulled cruiser Big A is well known as a regular entry in the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta and Phuket Raceweek.

“Before, I was living on the boat; after that, I had Big A for some 15 years up in Yacht Haven and was living at my small resort here in Chalong,” he said.

“I moved Big A to Chalong some seven to eight months ago as I could not handle the heavy traffic on the highway. It was just a matter of time for an accident to happen,” he explained.

“There are always break-ins and dinghies stolen, but this time it has been going on for about two months – that is unusual.

“Normally it’s a ‘hit-and-run situation’… a yachtie in transit needs money and steals something and sails away,” he noted.

phuketgazette.net

[genghis61]

“There are always break-ins and dinghies stolen, but this time it has been going on for about two months – that is unusual.

“Normally it’s a ‘hit-and-run situation’… a yachtie in transit needs money and steals something and sails away,” he noted.

a different twist - previous thefts from fellow yachties?

[misskit]

and his Jimmy Buffet CD collection

Who in their right mind would steal that?

[Mid]

a Parrothead


lakelaniercvb.com

[OhOh]

That’s still cheaper than hiring someone to watch the boat for me for 10,000 baht a week,” he said.

9,000 a week all found available PM me.