WESTPORT, Wash. — An imposter stole a fishing vessel — with the crew still on board — from a dock in Westport, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police.
WDFW Sergeant Alexander was reportedly patrolling in Westport when he “heard a radio call for a vehicle theft in progress; not the usual car or motorcycle theft, but an eight-million-dollar, 80-foot commercial fishing vessel, the Jamie Marie.”
According to police, the imposter had boarded the boat, awoken the crew, and informed them that they needed to get underway. The newer crew who didn’t know the captain didn’t argue, thinking he was perhaps an alternate operator or sent by the real captain.
The imposter captain “surely acted the part” as he set off into the Grays Harbor bar towards the ocean, but tipped off the crew by “not making any sense.” Instead of talking about fishing activity, the crew said he was talking about “meeting the ‘Chinese Mothership.’”
A call to the real captain from the bridge revealed the truth, and the imposter skipper eventually brought the vessel back to port and was met by Sgt. Alexander and Sgt. Mathews with the Westport Police Department to be taken into custody.
Police say the imposter skipper had $4,000 cash and a large quantity of individually weighed and packaged marijuana on him. As the investigation played out, police learned the imposter had boarded another large vessel in the early morning hours, managing to start the main engines and attempting to rally the crew for a trip to sea. The crew ran him off the boat, but did not report the attempt until they heard about the theft of the Jamie Marie.
Westport PD booked the subject into jail for theft, stolen property, vehicle prowling, and VUCSA manufacture/delivery.
Where is my boat? WDFW Sergeant Alexander was patrolling in Westport when he heard a radio call for a vehicle theft in...
Posted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police on Wednesday, February 26, 2025
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