HARBOR STEALING SPREE? Tackle, a wooden snapper, and even benches have been swiped, but captain suspects it's an inside job

A summer-long string of burglaries at HarborWalk Marina has boat captains and marina employees frustrated and on the lookout for anyone suspicious — as well as thousands of dollars of equipment, a wooden snapper and some human hamster balls.

“Every winter there are going to be boats that are broken into,” Capt. David Nettles of the Gulf Ranger told The Log. “But this is new; we have never seen this before.”

While the charter boat’s valuables have been the most common targets in the past, the latest group of thieves has snagged everything from fishing tackle and rods and reels to TVs, loading dollies, fish feeding boxes and fire extinguishers along the docks.

Although the thefts have everyone at the docks stumped, Nettles said the thief or thieves are more than likely familiar with HarborWalk and the boats that dock there.

“It’s got to be someone who knows the schedule, knows our boats and where we keep our keys,” Nettles said. “Because the boats are not being broken into, they are using the keys to get in.”

Back in April, Nettles had more than $2,000 worth of tackle stolen off his boat. After leaving his boat on a Friday night, Nettles came back to the boat the next morning to board for a charter when he noticed that his belongings had been stolen.

“It was all new tackle,” he said. “It hadn’t been engraved yet.”

After a very successful summer of fishing, Nettles said the thefts are a disappointing way to end the season.

Frances Montalvo, who manages the booking booth at HarborWalk Marina, said someone stole a small bench, an umbrella and a wooden red snapper sign from her booth.  The snapper sign had been a staple at the booth for 10 years.

“It’s a shame, a real shame,” she said. “You really don’t expect to see things like this happen… I guess it’s more of a disappointment in our society and where it is today.”

Montalvo said shortly after the recession had hit the area, thefts picked up a little bit, but nothing like what they have experienced over the summer.

“I just don’t know what we can do,” she said. “The police come through and we have security, but they can’t be in one place all the time.”

While he couldn’t point his finger at a potential suspect, Nettles suggested that it might be someone who has hit hard times and is battling a drug addiction. He said in the past, when boats have been broken into, it was typically a deckhand who was “messed up on drugs.”

Nettles said that issues associated with methamphetamine use are not uncommon and if drug addiction is to blame, he would like to get the person help, instead of having them arrested.

“I want to see them get off of the drugs,” he said. “They just need help.”

Officials from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said they have received reports of “sporadic incidents” along the docks, but nothing consistent.