VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County deputies are trying to track down a 21-foot boat that was stolen from someone’s driveway in broad daylight.
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It happened Tuesday morning in New Smyrna Beach on Spruce Street just off Pioneer Trail and State Road 44.
The 21-foot NauticStar cost Robert Ryder and his fiancé just over $31,000. They spent the past six years saving for it and another six months looking for it.
“Found it two months ago. Had it almost two months to the day. She gone,” said Ryder.
The boat sat on a trailer in his driveway, secured with a hitch lock, but on Sunday, when a storm rolled in, Ryder rushed to get back in his house and can’t remember if he ever closed the lock.
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Tuesday when he got home from work, both the bot and trailer were gone. Ryder calls the crime one of opportunity saying the boat was new, not insured and he had no home surveillance cameras, a mistake he won’t make again.
“They have already been ordered. They will be here today and installed. Lesson learned,” said Ryder.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood said so far, he’s not heard of any other incidents in the area involving boat bandits but adds stealing trailers has become a trend.
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“Since February of 2023, we have made over 35 arrests of upstanding citizens who see a trailer and say hmmm I am just going to take this,” said Chitwood.
He said 75 percent of all boat thefts happen to boats less than 26 feet long that are already on trailers.
“Somebody knew that boat was new. They didn’t just drive down the street and say I am going to go do this. I am sure they did a little recon work. If they hook up, whereare the going to go, how are they going to get it out of there,” said Chitwood.
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Fortunately, in this case, deputies already have some leads and a witness. A neighbor told Ryder and deputies they saw a boxy brown van drive off with the boat.
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