Stolen yacht recovered at sea

Officers from Kent Police’s Search and Marine Unit used their boat to recover a stolen yacht in the English Channel.

The yacht was reported stolen from a boatyard in Faversham on Saturday 1 October 2022. Officers from the Swale district acquired a boat and with the assistance of the police helicopter searched the coast but were unable to locate it.

On Sunday 16 October the victim contacted Kent Police to say his boat had been spotted 10 miles off the coast of Margate.

Specialist officers from the Search and Marine Unit set sail and used radar to locate and recover the yacht, which had run aground on a sandbank near to the entrance of the Thames Estuary.

PC Ben Bowler from the unit said:

‘We towed the yacht for 16 miles until we reached the river Swale, which took around two-and-a-half hours in choppy seas. It was safely brought to the shore at around 1pm on Monday 17 October.‘The 19-foot Seawych Yacht is now back with its rightful owner who was very grateful for its return, not least because it contained his worldly possessions.‘Kent has some of the busiest, most congested shipping lanes in the world and it was only by good fortune that the yacht did not cause danger to any commercial vessels that were passing through.‘The theft of a boat is rare in Kent but owners can take some simple steps to avoid becoming a victim. This includes using security markings - particularly on expensive items - and ensuring the boat is well secured.’

Anyone with any information regarding the theft of this yacht, who has not yet been in contact with Kent Police, is asked to call 01843 222289 quoting reference 46/190666/22. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or complete the online form.