First Hand Report

MV Dragon is a 68’ Nordhavn and was moored on a westerly T head in Ponta Delgada Marina on the island of Sao Miguel on June 22nd when the break-in occurred.

MV Dragon left San Diego 18 months ago on what we hope will be a circumnavigation and were vigilant in locking all doors in Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama overnight while aboard. We relaxed those practices in the US and Bermuda, locking doors only when off the boat for more than a short time.

We had been touring in the Azores for 3 weeks as a planned stop over on our way from Florida to Cork Ireland.

The Captain and crew were asleep at 04:45 when a member of the crew, asleep below in the crew quarters, was awakened by someone putting items in a bag next to his bunk.

Being in a locked and gated marina, we think it is likely the thief waited for someone to exit and held the gate.  Access into the marina pontoons is through a magnetic locked gate which requires a key card for access. There are no security patrols.

The startled robber attempted to flee the boat, but was restrained by the crew member who then yelled for the Captain.

Doors were locked and despite pleading in English to let him go, the Captain pursued pressing charges. The Captain left the 3 other male crew members to watch the robber and went to call and direct the police to the boat.

It took 45 minutes for the police to arrive. Apparently the local Maritime Police work regular hours and rotate after hours on call.

The police were professional and documented the items and took the suspect into custody, who professed his innocence due to the fact that we interrupted his shopping spree.

The travesty and most disappointing part of the story came 4 hours later when the Captain and crew were walking thru the park between the marina and the main drag into town and encountered the suspect, shirtless and inebriated with a group of others, who jeered and taunted us.

An email exchange with the Commandante let us know that they regretted the subsequent encounter with the criminal, but that they as officials had followed procedure.

Lesson: Lock Your Doors.

We did not have any other incidents during our time in the Azores.

John
Captain/Owner
MV Dragon

See John’s video about this incident here.

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