By Steven Goodstein

Bronx Times

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A recent wave of boat break-ins in Locust Point has boat owners and yacht club members on alert.

According to its members, the Locust Point Yacht Club, located on 21 Longstreet Avenue, recently experienced 19 boat break-ins in the span of a weekend.

The thievery began the weekend of Friday, March 13, just before St. Patrick’s Day, when club members discovered many boats broken into and vandalized.

Fortunately, many of these boats were docked and the inside cabins were locked for the winter months, so there weren’t many personal belongings to steal. However, there were reports of a missing flat screen TV and several portable radios.

The police were notified of these incidents soon after they occurred and recently visited the Locust Point Yacht Club to review the surveillance cameras and investigate further.

They have not yet confirmed if they have pictures or videos of any suspects or if they saw anything suspicious. The 45th Precinct could not be reached for comment.

However, the NYPD has announced that they will be offering a $1, 000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

According to club members, this is the first time they can recall incidents of this kind taking place but they are still prepared for a possible reoccurrence.

“The Locust Point Yacht Club is not taking this situation lightly, ” said member Kevin Devine. “Many of us suspect that kids are to blame for these break-ins, but the police offering this award should help speed up the process of catching the individual or individuals responsible.”

The club is not the only place that has witnessed thefts recently. Although not to the same magnitude, Hammond Cove Marina, located on 140 Reynolds Avenue, has also experienced boat break-ins and vandalism.

“We’ve experienced the same kind of issue as the Locust Point Yacht Club, even though it hasn’t quite been to the same extent, ” said Terry Dambinskas, owner of the Ice House Cafe, a nearby family-owned restaurant.