Maybe it’s a sign of our economic times, but loss of any items, valuable or not, will certainly put a damper on a beautiful day in the Keys. This report is from South Dade News Leader.

$5,000 Bounty For Keys Marine Thieves

Posted: Thursday, August 6, 2015 3:55 pm | Updated: 4:15 pm, Thu Aug 6, 2015.
Frank Maradiaga
Marine thefts are on the rise in Monroe County. Pillaging water crafts and docks for expensive (and easily portable) gear has become an opportunistic gold mine for criminals.
To help curb this rising problem the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys are collectively offering $5,000 dollars for any information that leads to an arrest. That’s $2500 from Crime Stoppers and another $2500 from the Sheriff’s Office.
`We really need some help on these cases,’ said Sheriff Rick Ramsay in a statement. `We are doing everything we can possibly do, but we really need people to come forward and help us nail these criminals.’
Thefts can include cherry and costly GPS systems or simple fishing equipment. Basically anything that isn’t tied down and looks appealing.
The Sheriff department says they have been `inundated’ with reports of high-end electronics and thefts of lower units.
Police say the thefts are occurring countywide but are largely concentrated in the Middle and Lower Keys.
From a department release:
`Equipment is being taken from boats in residential canals, parked on the street on trailers and from boats stored at marinas. The investigations of these thefts is complicated by the fact that many victims are part time residents who don’t discover they have been victimized for days or even weeks. Additionally, the equipment being stolen is relatively easy to remove, to transport and to sell.’
Photos and some video clips from surveillance equipment are being circulated in the hopes that someone will be able to identify these alleged thieves.
`There are people out there who know what is going on. They know who is responsible. We want those people to pick up the phone and report it. You don’t have to tell us who you are. And we will pay you well for your information,’ said Sheriff Ramsay. `It is a win-win for the person who calls. They can make a substantial sum of money and the suspect or suspects they report will never know who turned them in.’
If you think you have the goods on these thieves contact the Sheriff’s Office at 305-481-8060. The Crime Stoppers hotline is 1-800-346-TIPS.