The Port Authority and Police cooperating with one another can stop this rash of boat stealing.
A system is in place and if the two organizations mesh their info it will dramatically curb the market for stolen motors and boats.
Each year all the boats in the country have their license renewed and the process inspects and records in a computer the serial number of the engines on the boat and a detailed description of the boat. You can't get away for very long operating a boat without a Port Authority's inspection.
If the serial number is reported stolen to the police and the information is correlated to the port authority's information the motor or boat will turn up. Currently renewal of licences can happen with motors that have serial numbers from stolen motors or no serial numbers, without the police being aware.
Most of the time the theft of the boat is just to haul the motors to a place where they can be removed and the boat is abandoned. The market for the engine as parts is strong with shops on the mainland of Belize that rebuild motors...another avenue to suppress the stolen boat wave would be to pressure these shops that buy the stolen parts.
If we can hurt the market the incidents will decrease but as it is now the occupation of stealing boats and motors is a lucritive business.
A new 200 hp yamaha is worth about $27,000.00 bz and most boats carry two. A reconditioned engine is selling for $15,000.00 bz