# Boat (almost) stolen. Totally insane day



## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

Today:

I'm at work and I get a call from the Waukegan Harbormaster asking if I've given permission for anyone to take our boat out.

Me: Noooo.

Them: well there's a woman who is on your boat and it's pinned up against the end of E- dock (our slip is on D-dock)

So I make the land speed record getting up to waukegan harbor, meanwhile the harbormaster has called the Waukegan Police and they're all waiting at the end of E- dock

There a 60 y.o. or so woman sitting on our boat wearing a Chicago Sailing School polo, with the jib and mizzen sort of up. Fortunately, the wind today is about 3 kts so there was not too much opportunity for damage, however the woman had tossed some moorrage pieces off the dock onto the deck so I have some minor fiberglass repairs to the deck to do. Also good that CSS didn't actually teach her to sail :laugher

Seems that she walked down to the end of the pier, untied the boat and walked it out. She then (partly)put up the mizzen and unrolled the jib.

She then realized that she didnt know how to sail- she bumped off the breakwall a couple of times and the wind then slid our boat against the end of E dock. End of the ride.

She was still sitting on the deck when I got there. She had pulled the hinge pins off the center hatch but couldn't open it as it's dogged all the way 'round.

I walk up and say to her: Congratulations! You just tried to steal a $300,000 boat. You're going to jail!" and the Waukegan cops took her away.

Highest commendations to the Waukegan harbor maintenance crew ( they used the maintenance barge to get us off the pier and back into our slip) also the harbor crew who noticed her trying to get out of the harbor. 
It seems that one of the harbor staff asked what the hell she was doing and she said that this was her husband's boat and his name was Mike. The harbor folks (who know us) knew that wasn't true and called me and the cops.

Truth be told, I think the woman is insane, but I rate today as a "10" on the wierdness scale; after all how could you fence a "one-off" boat?


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## paul323 (Mar 13, 2010)

Wild. Congrats on keeping such a beautiful boat!


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## RatHatDiver (Jul 8, 2011)

WILD !!!! Friggen nut job no doubt.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Holy crap Corm! Here's to sucky sailor chicks!

I wonder why no on every tries to steal my C27?


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

Well, all's well thet ends well. I can think of 100 ways this could have turned out a lot worse.


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## dhays (Jul 9, 2010)

Sounds like dropping off a couple 6-packs of a VERY good Ale at the harbormaster's office would be in order.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

dhays said:


> Sounds like dropping off a couple 6-packs of a VERY good Ale at the harbormaster's office would be in order.


Beer for the maintenance crew, chocolates for the harbormaster


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## glassdad (Feb 21, 2009)

I just hope the t the police or District Attorney don't say she was insane and let her off with just a psychological workup. She needs to be charged with a major felony!


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

I'm going to press for that.


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## Undadar (Mar 24, 2011)

Crazy. Congrats on keeping your boat though sorry to hear about the damage. 

I hope you are successful with pressing charges and getting some sort of satisfaction. I recently had an experience that has left me VERY UNimpressed with our legal system.

Removed Link to site with commercial links per forum rules JH


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> I'm going to press for that


Good, please keep us apprized.

Glad there was no more damage. Love that sig line.


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

Hey, be easy on her, she cannot be that insane. She just wanted to get out on the water, go sailing, and get away from this crazy world we all live in! Just like the rest of us.


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## emoney (Jun 2, 2010)

Could very easily be Alzheimer's or Dementia....it's starting to affect people a lot younger and based on the fact that she was still sitting there.....?

Glad you got your boat back, however. Hopefully the damage will be an easy fix.


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

cormeum said:


> ... she said that this was her husband's boat and his name was Mike.


Remember: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

I don't know this as fact, of course. I wonder how mortified Mike will be when he stops by to check the damage to his boat, and finds it where and as he left it.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

casey1999 said:


> Hey, be easy on her, she cannot be that insane. She just wanted to get out on the water, go sailing, and get away from this crazy world we all live in! Just like the rest of us.


  Nice, but she really should do it ON HER OWN BOAT- dont you think?


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

emoney said:


> Could very easily be Alzheimer's or Dementia....it's starting to affect people a lot younger and based on the fact that she was still sitting there.....?
> 
> Glad you got your boat back, however. Hopefully the damage will be an easy fix.


Fixed the deck dings with West last night, we'll touch up the Awlgrip later.


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## OtterGreen (May 10, 2011)

my father flipped out on me once about the boat not being secured. i ran 2 minutes to grab some beer and left the companionway doors open. he happened to be driving by and was waiting for me when i got back. mind you, there is nothing of real value on board, a vhf is about it, everything else i take on and off that is valuable. the funny part is is that he has no lock on the engine, or the fuel lazarette so anyone could theoretically just steal the whole damn boat if they wanted!


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## OtterGreen (May 10, 2011)

emoney said:


> Could very easily be Alzheimer's or Dementia....it's starting to affect people a lot younger and based on the fact that she was still sitting there.....?


kind of like on Seinfeld with uncle leo? im an old man!! im confused!!!


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## LandLocked66c (Dec 5, 2009)

Why would a 60 y.o woman try to steal a boat? Weird with a capital W!!!!


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## JoeDiver (Feb 2, 2011)

Sadly, when I look around my marina....I bet there's a bunch of folks who wish someone would steal their boat....


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## primerate84 (Jun 14, 2006)

Maybe you should keelhaul her!


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## Sublime (Sep 11, 2010)

cormeum said:


> Today:
> 
> I'm at work and I get a call from the Waukegan Harbormaster asking if I've given permission for anyone to take our boat out.
> 
> ...


At least it didn't become the worst day of your life.

Did she have lots of cats with her? She has got to be one of those cat ladies. Luckily she hadn't had the time yet to stow away a few litter boxes. You did check, didn't you?


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

She was looking for payment for alimony in arrears, just confused Waukeegan with Kenosha.


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## Siamese (May 9, 2007)

Sounds like she didn't "almost" steal your boat or "try" to steal your boat. She stole your boat. She'd effectively stolen the boat when she exited your slip with it. 

Who knows if your DA will prosecute, but if you "almost" rob a bank, but don't get out of the parking lot with the loot, you'll do time for robbing the bank. 

Whether she's crazy is another matter, but the boat was stolen IMO (I'm not an attorney, but I've watched a lot of Law and Order).


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

cormeum said:


> Nice, but she really should do it ON HER OWN BOAT- dont you think?


She should, but she does not think logically, lets just give her a little credit for at least wanting to be a yacht woman.

A few months ago I was anchored at Waimea bay about 400 feet out and there were a group of guys swimming around my boat (I had left the boat unoccupied but completely open- hatches, companionway). This group then started to climb the anchor chain trying to get on the boat. I am sure they were just playing around, but had to get the life guard to go on mega phone to ask them to leave the boat alone. Anyone have an experience like that?


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

Yup. At das boot last Friday, noticed some strange sunglasses sitting in the cockpit. I then noted that he/she took them off so that they could get underneath my Magma BBQ and relieve me of my propane canister. Good trade. 

Pisses me off!!!! They're not even polarized!!!!!!


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## MarkSF (Feb 21, 2011)

carl762 said:


> Yup. At das boot last Friday, noticed some strange sunglasses sitting in the cockpit. I then noted that he/she took them off so that they could get underneath my Magma BBQ and relieve me of my propane canister. Good trade.
> 
> Pisses me off!!!! They're not even polarized!!!!!!


Put a note on the noticeboard, saying you found some sunglasses outside the restrooms. See if anyone tries to claim them.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

Siamese said:


> Sounds like she didn't "almost" steal your boat or "try" to steal your boat. She stole your boat. She'd effectively stolen the boat when she exited your slip with it.
> 
> Who knows if your DA will prosecute, but if you "almost" rob a bank, but don't get out of the parking lot with the loot, you'll do time for robbing the bank.
> 
> Whether she's crazy is another matter, but the boat was stolen IMO (I'm not an attorney, but I've watched a lot of Law and Order).


True. Stolen but didn't get away. I'm not a criminal lawyer either.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> Put a note on the noticeboard, saying you found some sunglasses outside the restrooms. See if anyone tries to claim them.


Good. Either that or wear em around and see if anybody says "hey, you found my sunglasses." I like your idea better.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

She sounds like she's got a problem, maybe early onset Alzheimer's, and may need to be institutionalized if she didn't wander off from someone.

Sounds like your harbormaster earned himself a nice bottle of single malt.


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## Quickstep192 (Jan 6, 2001)

I'll give her one thing........ She sure picked a pretty boat!


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## HDChopper (Oct 17, 2010)

+_1 Quickstep , ya gotta give her that she has taste 

Got to agree with Bankrobbery anology , got away clean or not the boat Was stolen.


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## pinayreefer (Mar 18, 2011)

Last Friday we dropped by our boat before heading out of town, noticed undergarments in the cockpit! Huh? Then found bootmarks on the floor and where someone barfed over the side. Yuck. After reporting it to the harbormaster we went away, a bit shaken about the audacity of some people (the boat is tied stern to). When we got back Monday we saw the guard and he was embaressed because he saw them and assumed it was us, since the couple "didn't stop" when he walked up so he eased away. He knows well now what we look like and hopefully it won't happen again, but every couple who comes strolling down the dock gets an eye from us, evaluating the females assets, trying to determine if she left her "stuff" on our boat.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

MY son is a Long Island ADA and its really going to depend on the DA's mindset on and issue like this as well as the lady's history


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

Well, $300,000 worth of boat should get any DA's attention. Nobody's exempt from being held accountable for their actions. My feeling is that this woman probably has developed a bit of dementia and will get off lighty. At the very least, she must pay for the damage and for the head/heartache she caused.


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## Steady Freddy (Aug 11, 2011)

You guys need to chill, she's NOT a thief. I told her that it was my boat, and my middle name is Mike. 
(oops, no wait, this is a different boat, and a different story altogether, sorry)


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

From the facts presented, there is still room for reasonable doubt that she had criminal intent. The damage is real. Collect every honest cent of restitution, but leave room in your thoughts that it was an honest mistake and they might not prosecute it as felony grand theft.


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## primerate84 (Jun 14, 2006)

Nah, she mistakenly thought it was her $300,000 boat. She was just in the wrong marina, but it looked just like her's. And, it was a brief moment of dementia that she forgot how to sail and ran it into the rocks. Yeah, that's reasonable doubt and she really had no criminal intent. She should just get a real stern talking-to and turned loose. I'm sure she will be a model citizen after that.


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

Let's all just be happy we have boats other people would like to use or steal. We could all be in a much worse situation. I think theft is going to become a very big issue not only for your boat, but house, car and other items. With high unemployment and not such a great future for many, they have no options "they" can see. Where I moor my boat, their is a large homeless population, I have not been hit, but many other boats get items stolen. I hope I do not get hit, but if I do, I will try to accept it as this is life, and deal with the repair and replacement of items stolen. I look at myself, not only do I have a house to live in, but a boat that can be my second home. The homeless (weather fault of their own or not) have none of these things.


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## ArcherBowman (Jul 1, 2009)

I hates me a thief. I've been robbed significantly like five times and lost of $20,000 worth of tools over a six year period. If I ever catch someone red-handed, I'm probably going to jail.


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## Undadar (Mar 24, 2011)

ArcherBowman said:


> I hates me a thief.


I'm with you Captain. Next in line are the people telling me that I have worked too hard and must give some of what I have to those that won't work for it themselves! :hothead

JdFinley.com | Sailing, development, and life with JD


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

ArcherBowman said:


> I hates me a thief. I've been robbed significantly like five times and lost of $20,000 worth of tools over a six year period. If I ever catch someone red-handed, I'm probably going to jail.


I hate a thief as much as you do. Just don't let the thief rob you twice- once your stuff and second your life (of jail). Cannot do much sailing from jail.


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## timangiel (Sep 8, 2006)

*Keep us updated*

I found this story to be quite facinating. I hope the original poster lets us know what happens, if the lady turns out to be crazy, gets locked up, let go or what ever.


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## landmineop (Sep 2, 2010)

"She slipped and fell and hurt herself, Your Honor."


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## sailguy40 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thats a crazy story and reminds me of when I got "the call". Not sure if anyone here remembers my old thread from over 18 months ago. I had my first sailboat and new to me Cal 25 tied up in a public harbor, left it only for one day and it was found over 8 miles out in Lake Ponchartrain against the Causeway Bridge. At the time, it was believed someone had just took off the mooring lines as it appeared no one was onboard it. After reading this thread, makes me wonder if my incident was also attempted theft. Maybe they tried to steal my boat and quickly realized they had no idea how to sail, jumped off and just let it drift away and aquire a few thousand dollars in damage. I aways found it hard to believe that the boat just drifted itself out the harbor and somehow found its way out in the lake. My boat now, she stays in the marina and I have several people that know me and know that if anyone is ever on my boat and I am not their, call me asap. Always important to look after each others boats, not only for theft reasons but other problems too. For example, a boat could be rapidly taking on water and owner not knowing unless someone contacts him.


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## rikhall (Feb 7, 2008)

LandLocked66c said:


> Why would a 60 y.o woman try to steal a boat? Weird with a capital W!!!!


LandLocked - you must be a young one. My wife is a very youthful 60 and we just got back from 850 nautical miles and five weeks on our 34 Irwin. Linda would LOVE a $300,000.00 boat! (and so would I) But - never would steal one!

Think of the room, think of the possibilities!

Rik


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## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

I am an attorney and I sure as hell would argue that she did steal the boat. She didn't just "attempt" to steal it.

She purposely walked aboard, cast off the lines and took it out of the slip, quite clearly, based on the circumstances, with the intent to sail it away. I certainly would argue that all the required elements of grand larceny were met. The fact that she got only a few dozen yards away with it and you got it back quickly doesn't make it any less a theft than if she had managed to get a few dozen miles away. The only difference is she got caught immediately after committing the theft.

If you take something off a store shelf with the intent of leaving without paying for it and trip on the doorsill on your way out and fall flat on your face, dropping the item, you've still shoplifted.

I also hates me some thieves.

Of course, in my case, someone would have to be pretty hard up to want to steal my worn old 1968 Pearson. Doesn't mean I'd let them have it easy, though. I'd "let them have it" in an entirely different manner.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> I also hates me some thieves.
> 
> Of course, in my case, someone would have to be pretty hard up to want to steal my worn old 1968 Pearson. Doesn't mean I'd let them have it easy, though. I'd "let them have it" in an entirely different manner.


 "let them have it." I think I like the way you think. 

I hates me some thieves.

OP, any updates?


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

Its not like the first thing the OP said was she clearly had mental issues or anything 

I can only hope none of you have to deal with a family member with a mental problem or perhaps i should hope you get a taste of it


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## MarkSF (Feb 21, 2011)

landmineop said:


> "She slipped and fell and hurt herself, Your Honor."


So you're advocating beating up 60 year old women for attempted theft are you? Just think about what you're saying.


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## landmineop (Sep 2, 2010)

I know exactly what I am saying. A thief is a thief regardless of age, sex or ethnecity.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> I can only hope none of you have to deal with a family member with a mental problem or perhaps i should hope you get a taste of it.


My mother in the past few months was put in assisted living. She ran away and was found by the police at the local bowling alley, confused, telling them that she had to get her grandkids to swimming lessons. Does that qualify?

Since then, she's been moved to a secure, monitored, assisted living facility. She hasn't broken out yet. I feel so bad for what's happened to her. She calls my sister, Mom, and I'm afraid the next time I call, she won't even know who I am.


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## timangiel (Sep 8, 2006)

ilikerust said:


> I am an attorney and I sure as hell would argue that she did steal the boat. She didn't just "attempt" to steal it.
> 
> She purposely walked aboard, cast off the lines and took it out of the slip, quite clearly, based on the circumstances, with the intent to sail it away. I certainly would argue that all the required elements of grand larceny were met. The fact that she got only a few dozen yards away with it and you got it back quickly doesn't make it any less a theft than if she had managed to get a few dozen miles away. The only difference is she got caught immediately after committing the theft.


If this person turns out to truely have some kind of serious mental issue then she is not guilty of anything.

If she is all there upstairs then I agree.


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## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

tommays said:


> Its not like the first thing the OP said was she clearly had mental issues or anything


You're right; it wasn't. And he didn't.


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## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

timangiel said:


> If this person turns out to truely have some kind of serious mental issue then she is not guilty of anything.


As a general statement, that's simply not true. Simply having "some kind of serious mental issue" is not a "go commit random crimes and get off scot free" card.

And where is all this supposition coming from about the woman having a mental condition. The OP said, in an offhand manner, "Truth be told, I think the woman is insane...".

That's it.

And from that, we have all this speculation and supposition about how she's a poor, befuddled Alzheimer's patient who innocently wandered away from the nursing home, or how she's simply delusional.

And yet she kept her wits about her enough to calmly walk down the pier, lie to the dock master, untie the boat, work it out of its slip and raise some sails as she tried to sail it away.

We don't know any facts beyond those related by the OP, so anything more is pure, rank speculation.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

Truth be told, I think the woman is insane.
She had a little plasic tub (like you'd see in a hospital) with some cups of flowers, some lawn grass and a small pillow.

Too strange.

I guess we read a bit differently


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## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

I see no mention of a tub, flowers, grass or a pillow anywhere up thread. 

I did mention, in my previous post: "The OP said, in an offhand manner, "Truth be told, I think the woman is insane..."."

Seems to me akin to saying, "Geez, I think this guy's nuts." 

Does that establish that she is not in full possession of her mental faculties?

Again, it's all speculation as to what her state of mind was, what her intent was, whether she was able to even reason or form an intent, whether she was totally delusional, or whether she's just a liar and a thief.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

She could just be a thief.

But these days? There are a lot of EDPs and early onset Alzheimer's wandering on the streets, sometimes found entering or trying to enter what they think is "their" home or what actually WAS their home at one time.

So it is either a clever thief, or very possibly someone who is non compos mentos who actually had a husband with a boat. And may have simply wandered away from home.

My friend's father developed early onset Alzheimers rather suddenly. He'd slip out "for a loaf of bread" and manage to drive 200 miles away and sometimes almost back, before someone, often the police, was able to find him and get him home again. H'es got a full time keeper and an exit alarm on the doors now. And no more car keys.

Expect more of this, folks. It is the new plague for the 21st century in America. It is real, and it is huge.


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## arisatx (Sep 2, 2004)

Corneum:
Damn - we're on S dock also in Waukegan. Let us know how this works out. Props to Waukegan staff.


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## Slayer (Jul 28, 2006)

I would like to hear her story before keel hauling her. This sounds like a woman with a mental illness not a felon that deserves to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Justice without compassion is nothing more than revenge.

Glad your boat didn't suffer serious damage.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

okay, evidence of obvious insanity:
she stole a wooden boat.
evidence of obvious criminal genius:
she stole a beautiful wooden boat worth more than the average house in the area.
It's a toss-up.


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## Harborless (Nov 10, 2010)

Id say she is not crazy. She obviously had premeditated taking a boat, perhaps not yours but a boat none the less.
Id be interested to here what she said when the police arrived?
Did she try to deny it or lie or what?


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## Harborless (Nov 10, 2010)

MarkSF said:


> So you're advocating beating up 60 year old women for attempted theft are you? Just think about what you're saying.


That is EXACTLY what they are sayng
:laugher


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## Harborless (Nov 10, 2010)

Mug shot or it didn't happen!


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

*Update*

Well, she (somehow) made bail and skipped her court date. There's now a warrant out for her arrest with a $50k bond. I notified the harbor folks and they're keeping a lookout for her.



She also dinged the crap out of my mahogany sliding hatch. Grrr! :hothead

A little google searching turned up that she is/was a member of some meditation cult (ishaya.com). And yes she had brought a dinghy sized lunch hook and some flowers and grass clippings in a plastic tub. Some reasearch into that was "interesting" as well.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

Good God!!!! Thanks for the update.


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## landmineop (Sep 2, 2010)

With $50K riding on it, the bondsman will find her. At least it was the hatch that had the hardest hit rather than that beautiful sailboat. Keep us up to date.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

landmineop said:


> With $50K riding on it, the bondsman will find her. At least it was the hatch that had the hardest hit rather than that beautiful sailboat. Keep us up to date.


The hatch was only 4 years old and custom made. I'm pretty pissed.

Still, could've been a LOT worse.


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## landmineop (Sep 2, 2010)

I would be as well. But like you said, it COULD have been MUCH worse. Just think of the havok she could have done if she got out of the marina or the damage she could have done TRYING to get out.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> Still, could've been a LOT worse.


I'm glad she only got as far as she did. Could have been a total loss. Sorry dude. That just sucks.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

carl762 said:


> I'm glad she only got as far as she did.


Not for lack of trying.



> Could have been a total loss. Sorry dude. That just sucks.


True. Thanks!


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

cormeum said:


> A little google searching turned up that she is/was a member of some meditation cult (ishaya.com). And yes she had brought a dinghy sized lunch hook and some flowers and grass clippings in a plastic tub. Some reasearch into that was "interesting" as well.


Maybe she was going to "bless" your boat. Happy you still have the boat.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> True. Thanks!


No problem.

Pisses me off to no end. We have a locked marina, but scumbags come in from the river side and troll for anything they can lay their hands on. I'd seriously like to sink some shatstain's pirate boat. Our Sheriff's patrol and USCG are useless when it comes to keeping our marinas secure.


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## landmineop (Sep 2, 2010)

Another reason why marinas should allow liveaboards.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

casey1999 said:


> Maybe she was going to "bless" your boat. Happy you still have the boat.


Cheezus!  Personally, I think that she was going to reach a new level of consciousness, turn into a butterfly, and fly away.

Serious wackiness.


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

> Another reason why marinas should allow liveaboards.


Excellent point. We do have a fellow who lives on a houseboat at the marina. Unfortunately, he's usually up at the local watering hole.


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## jaschrumpf (Jun 22, 2002)

pinayreefer said:


> Last Friday we dropped by our boat before heading out of town, noticed undergarments in the cockpit! Huh? Then found bootmarks on the floor and where someone barfed over the side. Yuck. After reporting it to the harbormaster we went away, a bit shaken about the audacity of some people (the boat is tied stern to). When we got back Monday we saw the guard and he was embaressed because he saw them and assumed it was us, since the couple "didn't stop" when he walked up so he eased away. He knows well now what we look like and hopefully it won't happen again, but every couple who comes strolling down the dock gets an eye from us, evaluating the females assets, trying to determine if she left her "stuff" on our boat.


I... I... don't know what to say. Unless you have some videos to show the guard so that he'll know if it's you guys the next time?


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## SJ34 (Jul 30, 2008)

landmineop said:


> Another reason why marinas should allow liveaboards.


Excellent point in theory but our marina has a 50% liveaboard rate, the marina manager lives aboard 4 slips down from us and they STILL don't know when were there or not.


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## bgeddes (Jul 11, 2010)

> Who knows if your DA will prosecute, but if you "almost" rob a bank, but don't get out of the parking lot with the loot, you'll do time for robbing the bank.


We had a guy in our area rob a bank, go out into the parking lot where GF was waiting in the car. Girlfriend brow beat him so bad he went back into the bank to return the money. He's a bank robber in the eyes of the law.


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

A young gal sat down noisily in my passenger seat uninvited, nattering on for ten full seconds about some store clerk as she rearranged her packages, and then blushed deeply in mid-word when she apparently realized she wasn't where she thought she was. My thumb had been poised on the flick stud of my pocket folder as I scanned my mirrors and blind spots, but that proved to not be necessary. For all I know, though, an accomplice *could* have been lurking unseen but left after not getting the all-clear signal. I recall it now, many years later, as more likely an honest mistake than a possibly averted car jacking.

The fact is, in the matter of the OP incident, we don't have all the facts. She reportedly said that she thought it was her husband's boat. None of the other facts presented support or dispute her statement strongly enough to summarily rule out reasonable doubt of criminal intent in her actions.


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## saillife (Jun 25, 2006)

Mike,
Do you really think an admiral would not recognize HER boat? As to other comments - the OP has stated that she is not his wife!


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

SL, What I think was her state of mind has no bearing. I'm pointing out precisely that. You and I don't have the relevant facts.


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

MikeWhy said:


> SL, What I think was her state of mind has no bearing. I'm pointing out precisely that. You and I don't have the relevant facts.


She has no husband. Additionally, as she was being hauled away (according to the police report) she then said that she was going to buy the boat and she had a deal with the owner to take her out for a spin.

Odd since I've never seen her before. She knew damn well it wasn't her boat- she just thought it would be the easiest to take out as we're in line with the slipway. More fool her.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"she then said that "
Assuming she's not a "person in need of supervision"...Then it can pay to have a discussion with the prosecutor and emphasize the dollar value of her attempted theft, as well as the amount of damage should could have done t-boning other boats.
Lying to a police officer usually is good for some additional jail time. With a little encouragement, the prosecutor may find more ways to give her bonus time. Does your state require a boating license? <G> Odds are she doesn't have that either. Start making up a laundry list & if they say "we're really busy, we're gonna let this slide" sometimes, they just need to know that you won't.
Of course if she tries the insane card...she's endangered herself and others, and that's reason for involuntary committment in some states.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

The fact that they did a 50K bail means they took it pretty serious and skipping the bail is gonna bring down the full smackdown as that never goes over well and uses up any possible good will with the court system


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

This is what my boat harbor deals with:

Third shark tour boat burns - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

cormeum said:


> She has no husband. Additionally, as she was being hauled away (according to the police report) she then said that she was going to buy the boat and she had a deal with the owner to take her out for a spin.


Too bad for her, then. She would've been far better off not talking at all. Even without serving time, a felony rap is the financial kiss of death.


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## Sublime (Sep 11, 2010)

landmineop said:


> Another reason why marinas should allow liveaboards.


And why you make sure you don't have the nicest boat on the dock. :laugher


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

casey1999 said:


> She should, but she does not think logically, lets just give her a little credit for at least wanting to be a yacht woman.
> 
> A few months ago I was anchored at Waimea bay about 400 feet out and there were a group of guys swimming around my boat (I had left the boat unoccupied but completely open- hatches, companionway). This group then started to climb the anchor chain trying to get on the boat. I am sure they were just playing around, but had to get the life guard to go on mega phone to ask them to leave the boat alone. Anyone have an experience like that?


She deserves credit for wanting to steal a boat? On the same logic, if I robbed a bank so I could buy a sailboat, would I deserve credit too?


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

MikeWhy said:


> From the facts presented, there is still room for reasonable doubt that she had criminal intent. The damage is real. Collect every honest cent of restitution, but leave room in your thoughts that it was an honest mistake and they might not prosecute it as felony grand theft.


What part did I miss that even raised the slightest possibility of an "honest mistake"?


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

MikeWhy said:


> A young gal sat down noisily in my passenger seat uninvited, nattering on for ten full seconds about some store clerk as she rearranged her packages, and then blushed deeply in mid-word when she apparently realized she wasn't where she thought she was. My thumb had been poised on the flick stud of my pocket folder as I scanned my mirrors and blind spots, but that proved to not be necessary. For all I know, though, an accomplice *could* have been lurking unseen but left after not getting the all-clear signal. I recall it now, many years later, as more likely an honest mistake than a possibly averted car jacking.
> 
> The fact is, in the matter of the OP incident, we don't have all the facts. She reportedly said that she thought it was her husband's boat. None of the other facts presented support or dispute her statement strongly enough to summarily rule out reasonable doubt of criminal intent in her actions.


With all due respect, what are the chances that her husband had a 48 foot S&S wooden yawl that she had never seen or been on before? And even if that much is true, what are the chances that she would try to single hand it out of the marina without engine power the first time she did see it? If I ever get in trouble I hope you're on my jury.


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## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

CBinRI said:


> She deserves credit for wanting to steal a boat? On the same logic, if I robbed a bank so I could buy a sailboat, would I deserve credit too?


Methinks the comment was made in jest. A little tongue-in-cheek, which does not convey well via e-mail or internet forum...


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

ilikerust said:


> Methinks the comment was made in jest. A little tongue-in-cheek, which does not convey well via e-mail or internet forum...


Yea, it was just a joke. And if I were a judge, and you robbed a bank, I might be more lienient on you if you told me you took the money to buy a yacht as opposed to buying say guns or drugs.


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## ilikerust (Apr 19, 2010)

casey1999 said:


> I might be more lienient on you if you told me you took the money to buy a yacht as opposed to buying say guns or drugs.


I'm hoping that's also said in jest...


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

ilikerust said:


> Methinks the comment was made in jest. A little tongue-in-cheek, which does not convey well via e-mail or internet forum...


Here I am displaying my lack of sense of humor in public again.


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

ilikerust said:


> I'm hoping that's also said in jest...


I'm serious. Now, if he/she said they stole the money to buy a power boat- I would throw the book at him/her.


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## primerate84 (Jun 14, 2006)

What if it was one of those Hunters that you can sail or water ski behind?


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

CBinRI said:


> If I ever get in trouble I hope you're on my jury.


If it comes to that, it's likely I'll give you reason to regret your hasty judgement. OTOH, you will want the judge to understand the law and consider only the facts, rather than rely on a forum board's mob-sense of vindictiveness and "the odds" of reality versus fancy.



CBinRI said:


> _f I robbed a bank so I could buy a sailboat, would I deserve credit too?_


_

The better question is, if you were a banker in the 90's and 2000's, should we let you keep your sailboat?_


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## junkrig (Jun 3, 2011)

MikeWhy said:


> If it comes to that, it's likely I'll give you reason to regret your hasty judgement. OTOH, you will want the judge to understand the law and consider only the facts, rather than rely on a forum board's mob-sense of vindictiveness and "the odds" of reality versus fancy.
> 
> The better question is, if you were a banker in the 90's and 2000's, should we let you keep your sailboat?


Some people steal your boat and wreck it. Obvious thieves, 
Some people steal your money and house and wreck your life. They get to keep the boat.:hothead:gunner


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

primerate84 said:


> What if it was one of those Hunters that you can sail or water ski behind?


Maybe we could plea bargin.


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

MikeWhy said:


> If it comes to that, it's likely I'll give you reason to regret your hasty judgement. OTOH, you will want the judge to understand the law and consider only the facts, rather than rely on a forum board's mob-sense of vindictiveness and "the odds" of reality versus fancy.
> 
> The better question is, if you were a banker in the 90's and 2000's, should we let you keep your sailboat?


I don't understand either of your comments but I do commend you for keeping an open mind and not wanting to rush to judgment. On the other hand, she was caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Is there some reason for reasonable doubt that I missed?


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## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

CB, Yes. In the OP.


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