MARINA DEL REY, CA — A 30-foot boat belonging to the Marina del Rey Sea Scouts was reportedly stolen last week and replaced with a vessel in significantly worse condition, officials say.
The stolen boat, a 1979 Islander named Island Hopper, disappeared from its dock on March 20. Sea Scouts representatives believe the boat may have been moved to another Southern California marina or even Catalina Island. The vessel’s hull number is ILY300540379-B.
Authorities say the alleged thief removed the California CF numbers from the Island Hopper and transferred them to a “junker boat,” which was left in the stolen boat’s place.
“I was so surprised… it was just such a shock that somebody would do this,” said Julian Grosky, a Sea Scouts spokesperson. “We rely heavily on community support and donations. Losing a key part of our program is very frustrating because we simply can’t afford to replace it.”
The Sea Scouts say this is part of a string of recent thefts. Last year, an outboard motor was stolen, and six weeks ago, a radar display and marine radio went missing. Volunteers also reported a masked intruder attempting to steal equipment from one of their cabin cruisers, only to flee after being spotted by security cameras.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Marina Station is assisting with the investigation. Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call (310) 483-6000.