SARASOTA, Fla. — More than 30 boats are missing expensive electronic equipment after deputies say someone broke into a locked marina.
The manager of the Philippi Harbor Club said within minutes of opening the doors on Sunday, his crew noticed boats missing electronics. Most of the boats affected were stored near the ground, but a few on the second level also had holes where essential electronics should be located.
"Pretty big shock," manager Eric Lepley told WWSB. "It's not how you want to start any day, but definitely not a Sunday."
A local boat owner said he was "blindsided."
"I came right over here," Tyler Thirion said. "I mean, I could obviously see the big, missing hole on the boat. It was not great."
Thirion said he had the GPS stolen from his boat.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office responded and is now trying to find those responsible for the thefts. Law enforcement said someone or multiple people pried open a piece of siding on the marine building.
"They were in and out," Thirion said. "They knew what they were doing. They unscrewed the Simrad from it, cut the wires behind it and they were gone."
The marina said it's now looking into adding more surveillance cameras and motion detectors.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. The Phillippi Harbor Club is also offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest.
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