Last week, we shared the heartbreaking story of a family whose brand-new Highfield tender and Yamaha 15hp outboard were stolen in the middle of the night from their yacht, which was moored in Whangamata Harbour. The thief showed no fear, cutting through the chain that secured the tender and sneaking away without a sound. For the owners, who had just returned from a year-long sailing adventure, the loss was devastating. We hoped for a happy ending and imagined that maybe, just maybe, they’d get their tender and outboard motor back.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Just a week later, the thieves, emboldened by their first success, returned under the cover of darkness. This time, they went even further—climbing onto the transom, forcing their way through a hatch, and breaking the lock to enter the boat. After rummaging through the interior for a while, they walked out again, this time with electronics and technology from the boat.
If you’ve ever had someone break into your home or boat and steal your gear, you’ll understand the unsettling feeling that follows. It’s not just the loss of belongings; it’s the violation of your space, the knowledge that an uninvited person has been there. It’s a feeling that sticks with you.
The police have been called, and now the boat is wrapped in police tape, awaiting investigation.
If this article has triggered a thought about how to ensure your yacht stays more secure, there is some surveillence gear you can grab to help give you a little more peace of mind. If you’re at a marina, you’ll most likely be hooked up to onshore power, so you will have a bigger range to choose from. But if you’re on a mooring ball, or between mooring poles, or even at anchor, you will need to rely on technology that functions without shore power, so maybe with a trickle-solar power panel. We will provide more details on the technologies available over this next week.
After last week’s article, we reached out to the New Zealand Police for data on marine burglaries and thefts. Stay tuned for more updates as we dive deeper into this unsettling issue.
