On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:32:11 -0400, Secular Humouresque wrote:

Pinellas deputies arrest pair in connection with boat thefts

By Luis Perez, Times Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG — The owner of a boat and yacht brokerage company and
another man were arrested on grand theft charges after authorities said
they sold stolen boats overseas, Pinellas sheriff's deputies said.

Mark A. Conner, 38, of Treasure Island was arrested Thursday on charges
of scheme to defraud and four counts of grand theft. He was being held
on $40,000 bail Friday at the Pinellas County Jail. Lawrence P.
Plumstead, 44, of Seminole was arrested on three counts of grand theft.
Plumstead was released Friday morning after posting $15,000 bond.

The investigation began in August after deputies received a complaint
that Conner, owner of Suncoast Marine at 8290 Bay Pines Blvd., stiffed
customers on the sale of three boats. Deputies said Conner accepted the
boats on consignment, with the agreement that he would take a commission
on sales. However, he never paid the owners or the lending company.

They began surveilling Conner, and saw him and Plumstead shrink-wrapping
a stolen Scout model boat for shipment to Australia at a Pinellas Park
storage lot, authorities said.

The men were arrested Thursday as they were taking the boat out of the lot.

Deputies operating under a search warrant then found four more stolen
boats and trailers at the lot. The vessels, all between 21 and 25 feet,
were a Boston Whaler, a Pro Line center console, a Century center
console and a Century walk-around, deputies said.

Deputies said Conner was observed stealing the Century walk-around on a
home surveillance camera in Hillsborough County.

[Last modified: Oct 22, 2010 10:25 PM]

Damn shame I didn't hear about the Whaler before they got caught! :)
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I hope your day is simply spectacular!

John H