An imposter pretending to be a fishing captain managed to steal an 80-foot commercial fishing vessel while the crew was still on board in Westport, Washington, U.S.A.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) police, the unauthorized skipper took command of the Jamie Marie, an USD 8 million (EUR 7.6 million) groundfish vessel, and set off into the Grays Harbor Bar before the crew caught on to his deception.
WDFW Sergent Alexander told KIRO 7 he was on patrol in Westport when he overheard a radio call about a “vehicle theft” in progress before learning the vehicle in question was the Jamie Marie. The suspect reportedly boarded the Jamie Marie, woke up the crew, and informed them they needed to get underway. The vessel apparently had crew members who were unfamiliar with the real captain and assumed the suspect was either an alternate captain or someone sent by the real captain.
It didn’t take long for the imposter to raise red flags.
While he “surely acted the part” of a seasoned skipper, according to the police, his conversation gave him away. Instead of discussing fishing plans or routes, he spoke about meeting a so-called “Chinese Mothership.” It made enough fuss for the crew to call their real captain and expose the imposter.
The suspect eventually turned the vessel back to port, where he was met by the Westport police and promptly taken into custody. Authorities found USD 4,000 (EUR 3,800) in cash and a large quantity of individually weighed and packaged marijuana in his possession.
As the investigation unfolded, police discovered that this wasn’t the suspect’s first attempt at stealing a vessel that day.
Earlier that morning, he had boarded another large vessel, managed to start the main engines, and attempted to convince the crew to head to sea. That attempt ended with the crew running him off the boat, though they didn’t report the incident until after news of the Jamie Marie theft spread.
The suspect was booked by the Westport Police Department on multiple charges, including theft, stolen property, vehicle prowling, and drug-related offenses.
