Woodbridge: Boat owners on River Deben urged to remain vigilant after thefts

Police have urged boat owners to stay vigilant following a recent spate of crime in a riverside town.

A number of engines worth thousands of pounds have been stolen in the last month from boats on the River Deben at Woodbridge.

The most recent theft happened between 3pm last Sunday and 1.45pm on Wednesday, when a Mariner F3.5 boat engine was stolen from a mooring at the River Wall.

Nearby, a wooden shed was also broken into between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. A blue 12ft by 12ft gazebo was stolen, along with the workings for a radio controlled model boat, two radio transmitters and a large plastic model of a cabin cruiser.

Earlier this month, three rib boats were taken from moorings at the River Wall, and later found their outboard engines missing on the riverbank at Waldringfield.

A police spokeswoman said: “We would urge all boat owners and users of the river to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to police using 999. We occasionally have spates of these crimes and they are often more prevalent during the winter months as owners use their boats less as the nights draw in.”

Police recently held an event at Darsham to give boat owners security advice. More information is available on the Marine Watch page at www.suffolk.police.uk

If you know anything about the recent crimes, call police on 101.