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On Sunday morning (June 12, 2011 at 5:48 a.m.) three professional thieves stole my boat, The Kara Ann, out of my gated yard in Jupiter, Florida. The boat is a 32’ Regulator (2001 model) and it is my pride and joy. She was stolen while on her special built tri-axle Continental aluminum Float-On trailer, towed away by my own Ford F-450 dually (white, 2003).
She’s well equipped to travel and is headed south. The thieves left Jupiter traveling South on I-95. They got on I-95 via the Indiantown Rd. on-ramp at 6:08 a.m. These thieves were smart enough to steal the rig – but apparently not smart enough to put fuel in my truck…
Subsequently, the truck was found abandoned (no boat, no trailer) on I-95 just North of the Atlantic Avenue exit in Delray Beach by the Florida Highway Patrol. Thanks to their remarkably responsive work putting out an APB and BOLO report for stolen vehicles, they located my dually, still warm around 9:30 a.m. …That meant that they ran the truck out of fuel and had to find themselves another F-350 or larger vehicle to pull the boat, meaning that they were likely standing on the side of the road for an hour or more.
Undoubtedly, many people were witness to what looked like a couple of guys trying to recover their plans to go fishing on Sunday morning… The boat thieves were left exposed on the shoulder of I-95 in the Southbound lane just North of the off-ramp at Atlantic Ave. and I-95 – between 7:10 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. on June 12th. Anyone having observed or witnessed this scene on the side of the road is encouraged to call me or respond to this post. This is our one golden opportunity and will probably yield more witnesses than any other lead. We weren’t that far behind them!
I discovered the boat missing within an hour and a half of it being taken on Sunday morning. I had several video surveillance cameras focused on her and I was routinely looking at the monitor when I made my discovery. On the DVR, the thieves can be seen going about their business very quickly. Within 7 minutes they cut the chain link fence, destroyed the steering column on the dually, hotwired the vehicle, hitched the trailer to the truck, cut the heavy chain securing the gates; and because they couldn’t cut the lock itself securing the two gates at the center; drove the truck through the gate to get out of the yard.
The boat was impeccably maintained and beautiful in every way. She has a fighting lady yellow hull, white bottom, with a green and gold boot stripe. It is powered by twin 2003 250hp HPDI Yamaha 4-stroke outboards. She has (probably removed by now) a distinguished name on both sides, Kara Ann (hailing port Jupiter, Florida). Some other features include:
• NavNet II
• Outriggers
• 24kw Furuno Radar
• AP22 Robertson Autopilot
• hunter green console and rocket launcher covers
• 4-person REVERE life raft mounted to the hard top
They took it all; the truck, the trailer, the boat and everything on it. Detective Brent Hoosac of the Jupiter Police Department is now investigating my case (# J11 19806). The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and The United States Coast Guard have also been notified. I am broadcasting news of this theft as widely as I can across the southern hemisphere with the hope of eventually getting my property returned to me. I will go to any measure to recover my boat and prosecute whoever is responsible, to the fullest extent of the law. These were professional thieves, who premeditated a strategic plan for stealing my boat, my truck and my trailer – it’s grand theft. I have insurance, but nothing would give me greater personal satisfaction than recovery and prosecution. I will pay a reward leading to the return of my property and for the prosecution of the men that stole it. Please immediately contact Don Copeland Jr. at (561) 719-6745 with any information whatsoever.
She’s well equipped to travel and is headed south. The thieves left Jupiter traveling South on I-95. They got on I-95 via the Indiantown Rd. on-ramp at 6:08 a.m. These thieves were smart enough to steal the rig – but apparently not smart enough to put fuel in my truck…
Subsequently, the truck was found abandoned (no boat, no trailer) on I-95 just North of the Atlantic Avenue exit in Delray Beach by the Florida Highway Patrol. Thanks to their remarkably responsive work putting out an APB and BOLO report for stolen vehicles, they located my dually, still warm around 9:30 a.m. …That meant that they ran the truck out of fuel and had to find themselves another F-350 or larger vehicle to pull the boat, meaning that they were likely standing on the side of the road for an hour or more.
Undoubtedly, many people were witness to what looked like a couple of guys trying to recover their plans to go fishing on Sunday morning… The boat thieves were left exposed on the shoulder of I-95 in the Southbound lane just North of the off-ramp at Atlantic Ave. and I-95 – between 7:10 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. on June 12th. Anyone having observed or witnessed this scene on the side of the road is encouraged to call me or respond to this post. This is our one golden opportunity and will probably yield more witnesses than any other lead. We weren’t that far behind them!
I discovered the boat missing within an hour and a half of it being taken on Sunday morning. I had several video surveillance cameras focused on her and I was routinely looking at the monitor when I made my discovery. On the DVR, the thieves can be seen going about their business very quickly. Within 7 minutes they cut the chain link fence, destroyed the steering column on the dually, hotwired the vehicle, hitched the trailer to the truck, cut the heavy chain securing the gates; and because they couldn’t cut the lock itself securing the two gates at the center; drove the truck through the gate to get out of the yard.
The boat was impeccably maintained and beautiful in every way. She has a fighting lady yellow hull, white bottom, with a green and gold boot stripe. It is powered by twin 2003 250hp HPDI Yamaha 4-stroke outboards. She has (probably removed by now) a distinguished name on both sides, Kara Ann (hailing port Jupiter, Florida). Some other features include:
• NavNet II
• Outriggers
• 24kw Furuno Radar
• AP22 Robertson Autopilot
• hunter green console and rocket launcher covers
• 4-person REVERE life raft mounted to the hard top
They took it all; the truck, the trailer, the boat and everything on it. Detective Brent Hoosac of the Jupiter Police Department is now investigating my case (# J11 19806). The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and The United States Coast Guard have also been notified. I am broadcasting news of this theft as widely as I can across the southern hemisphere with the hope of eventually getting my property returned to me. I will go to any measure to recover my boat and prosecute whoever is responsible, to the fullest extent of the law. These were professional thieves, who premeditated a strategic plan for stealing my boat, my truck and my trailer – it’s grand theft. I have insurance, but nothing would give me greater personal satisfaction than recovery and prosecution. I will pay a reward leading to the return of my property and for the prosecution of the men that stole it. Please immediately contact Don Copeland Jr. at (561) 719-6745 with any information whatsoever.