Thieving Water Rats Hit Lake Boats In $100,000 Spate Of Robberies

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday June 2, 1998

By ELLEN CONNOLLY Chief Police Reporter

LAKE Macquarie is being invaded by a new breed of thieves ? water rats.

Using a boat as its getaway vessel, a suspected gang has stolen more than $100,000 worth of property from the Morisset peninsula, Dora Creek, Toronto and Coal Point areas.

Sgt Bill Nicholson of Newcastle Water Police said the thieves were targeting vessels moored in the lake, as well as waterfront properties.

He said patrols by the Water Police had been stepped up in an effort to catch the `water rats'.

`Their mode of transport has to be a boat because there's no other way they could get to these vessels,' Sgt Nicholson said. He said the attacks were random, possibly the work of a gang.

`They're stealing aluminium boats, dinghies, stereos and outboard motors, anything that is worth selling,' he said.

In one of the worst attacks, $4000 worth of property was stolen from a 39-foot cruiser, which was moored at Coal Point, 30 metres from the shore.

Mrs Anne Jolliffe, of Toronto Boat Hire, said her business had fallen victim to the thieves on two occasions during the past month. said bolt cutters were used to take a $1500 engine from a dinghy. A few weeks later thieves cut a padlock and stole an outboard motor.

`There's a real crime problem on our lake and it's becoming very costly for boat owners,' Mrs Jolliffe said.

She said the problem had become so bad that she was forced to remove the engines from the hire boats when they were not being used.

The thieves would stop at nothing, she added.

Last week a woman who was staying on a yacht had her bicycle chained to a tree. The offenders chopped down the tree and stole the bike, Mrs Jolliffe said.

Sgt Nicholson called on boat owners to be more vigilant.

`We're increasing our patrols on the water but we would greatly appreciate it if people could ring us when they see anything suspicious going on,' he said.

He encouraged people to make regular checks of their vessels.

He said the Water Police had recovered several dinghies from the lake during the past month and were trying to find their owners.

Anyone missing a dinghy should contact Newcastle Water Police on 49-290999.