Police Crime Tip of the Month: Keep Tabs on Your Paddleboard, Aquatic Equipment

Last year, the saw an , kayaks, and other recreational aquatic equipment. Many of these thefts came from suspects accessing the victim’s homes/property via watercraft after observing their unsecured property lying around their waterfront backyards.

As the weather warms up and Islanders take to the pool or the waters of Lake Washington, the Mercer Island Police Department offers the following crime tips to help prevent residents from becoming a victim of these thefts and also help  increase the chance of recovering property:
 

• Lock up all of your equipment/property. If your equipment/property isn’t directly visible to a suspect boater passing by, then the chances of them passing by your house without incident increases. 
• Make a record of the Brand, Model Number, and Serial Number of all of your equipment. That way if you do become a victim of theft, the chances of the police recovering your stolen equipment increases as these items are often resold or pawned. 
• Always lock and secure your boats and personal watercrafts. Never leave the keys to your boats/PWC inside them. 
• Install motion detector lights on the front and waterfront areas of your property. Suspects/Thieves don’t like to be seen and will generally move on to a residence where they can commit a crime without being seen. 
• Be a good neighbor and watch each other’s property. If you see something suspicious, immediately call 9-1-1.

 
These are just a few things you can do to increase your chances of NOT becoming a victim of theft. The Mercer Island Police Department has put together a Crime Prevention booklet to help citizens keep themselves safe from many other types of crimes as well. This crime prevention booklet can be found online at http://www.mercergov.org/files/Crime%20Prevention.pdf.    
 
  
Have fun and stay safe,
Ofc. Rob Jira
Mercer Island Police Department
Rob.Jira@mercergov.org