This angler's belongings were stolen by a crook in a kayak.
There is nothing worse than a thief, especially when it comes to our expensive and hard-earned fishing gear. When you take your angling seriously, you probably have a decent amount of money invested in that pursuit. So, it stinks when someone decides to just take it.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to a Lighthouse Point, Florida angler earlier this week when a thief broke into a 69-foot yacht and stole two custom rod and reel combos valued at $30,000.
WSVN News Miami reports yacht captain Marc Wyckoff first reported the theft Tuesday morning. He felt something was off when he stepped onboard the boat. That is when he realized two rods outfitted with electronic reels weighing about 25 pounds each were missing.
This left Wyckoff and the yacht's owner, Brad Cohen confused because the property behind Cohen's home is completely fenced in. A look at security camera footage revealed the thief had accessed the yacht via the water on a kayak. Click here to see a video report with footage of the alleged thief.
It may be difficult for authorities and the public to identify the man. The fishing gear thief appears to be wearing yellow raingear, boots, and a hat in the video footage. The trespasser only spent about 10 minutes on the boat breaking into the cabin to get at the reels. He then stashed them in a bag and paddled away into the night. The reels appear to be the only items taken from the boat. Cohen told the station he felt angry and violated by the break-in, adding that the thief appears to be a "professional."
It appears there may have been a rash of thefts in the Lighthouse Point area recently. The Lighthouse Point Police Department's Facebook page posted a notice earlier this week asking residents to be extra vigilant about recent break-ins to cars that have happened in the area.
There is a $3,000 reward for information about the theft of Cohen's fishing gear. Tips can be submitted through the Broward County Crime Stoppers webpage or by calling 954-493-TIPS. Informants have the right to remain anonymous.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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