[Pajamajan]

LINK

This is from a two day old article, but I didn't see it posted anywhere on FR.

What is a little unsettling about this, is that the stolen items are very powerful speed-type boats (click on link to see a photo of one of them).

I recall reading something, a few years ago, about terrorists having a plan to launch an attack on one or more of our major ports using this type of boat.

Maybe this is nothing, but just thought I'd post it FYI.

[Sherman Logan]

Ye olde cigarette boats.

Not a highly effective choice for an attack craft, I’d think.

Not much payload.

[Starboard]

Boats are a maintenance nightmare. They’re going to have a tough time keeping them running without constant attention to the mechanicals. That’s just the nature of boats, and the larger they are the more maintenance they require.

[Michael.SF.]

I don't remember the movie, but I think it was Joe Pesci who upon hearing that a guy got pulled over for speeding while carrying a kidnap victim in the trunk:

"Never do nothin illegal when you're doin somethin illegal."

I would think the terrorists are financed well enough that they would buy a boat, not steal one.

[umgud]

Stolen to what purpose? Kinda tough to re-sell. Ship them out of the country maybe?

[Vigilanteman]

Likely targets are airports close to the ocean or large bodies of water: LAX, SFO, SAN.

LGB is a little further inland, as I recall, but still might be close enough. The docks might make a more attractive target.

[dead]

More likely somebody wants to sell stolen boats.

[Timber Rattler]

Not terrorists, but drug runners.

[CivilWarBrewing]

Terrorist attack, bingo.

Remember the illegals storming the beach in SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA a couple weeks ago?

Now, spread a group of Jihadists among 3 extremely fast boats and.. VOILA!!

[freedumb2003]

When I heard about this, I asked (myself), “it never occurred to these idiots to LoJack their quarter-million dollar boat on a trailer???”

I had LoJack on my $25K car for goodnesssake...

[Red Badger]

Dougie, have you been a bad boy?......................

[Billthedrill]

Some smugglers will be very happy to run these from Mexico either to a lonely beach or to an off-shore rendezvous.

[RoosterRedux]

Smells like an insurance scam.

[Mamzelle]

Exactly my thought

[novemberslady]

bkmk

[JohnInSoCal]

Likely stolen for parts or sale. Engines and drives are what are so expensive on these things, don’t see any terrorist angle here.

[Integrityingovt]

This could be one of several things. Terrorism is certainly a possibility. Having sold these boats, particularly the Fountains, you are looking at speeds in excess of 75 mph. There is plenty of cabin room down below to store explosives, easily a thousand pounds or so. Think the weight of five or six people. Also could have been stolen for parts. Take the engines and outdrives, strip out the other useful components and sink the hull. Third, could be to be used for human trafficking or drug smuggling. Big problem in FL over the last five to 10 years, with smugglers using boats like this to smuggle illegals in. Think about shoving 20-25 people on a boat like this at $2,500 a head and doing that for a couple of months. You can do the math. We had one of our Fountains stolen from the dealership on a holiday weekend and despite the best efforts of the police, marine police in several states and a client with a private plane flying up and down the Chesapeake Bay looking for the boat we never found it.

[1035rep]

They’re probably in Mexico.

[no-to-illegals]

Apologies Pajamajan ... Looking for something.

[Delta Dawn]

Glad to know that the thieves were not interested in jon boats or row boats...

[ExCTCitizen]

Boat — a hole in the water in which you pour money in it. That said, I love my boat...my first boat was a 14’ aluminum with a 7 1/2 HP engine... my boat now is just a 27’ that sleeps 5.