We have a story that sounds like it came out of the movies, but instead it happened locally out of Westport at the marina where 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.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police Sergeant Alexander was patrolling in Westport when he heard a radio call for the theft in progress. A subject had boarded the vessel, woke the crew and advised them they needed to get underway. The newer crew did not know the captain, but didn’t argue, thinking he was an alternate operator, or someone sent by the real Captain. He surely acted the part as he knew how to start and operate the large vessel. As the vessel transited further out and onto the Grays Harbor bar about to cross into the ocean, the crew finally figured out something was wrong. The subject driving the boat was talking about meeting the “Chinese Mothership” and was not making sense. He certainly was not describing fishing activity.

A call to the real Captain from the bridge revealed the subject driving the boat had no reason to be on the boat, let alone be operating it and had in fact, stolen the vessel with the crew onboard. The imposter skipper eventually brought the vessel back to port and was met by Sgt. Alexander and Sgt. Mathews with the Westport Police Department where he was taken into custody.

The imposter skipper was found to be in possession of $4000 cash and a large quantity of individually weighed and packaged marijuana. As the investigation played out, it was learned the same subject boarded another large vessel in the early morning hours and managed to start the main engines and was attempting to rally the crew for a trip to sea. They ran him off the boat but did not report the activity until the current theft was playing out and the information was circling Westport. Westport P.D. booked the subject into jail for Theft 1, Possession of Stolen Property 1, vehicle prowl 1, and VUCSA manufacture/delivery.