Cannons Marina boats burglarized of more than $40,000 of equipment

Longboat Key police are investigating after an overnight boat burglary at Cannons Marina.

Police were called to the boat dealership, marina and rental company the morning of Dec. 2, after a worker noticed that GPS devices were missing from multiple boats on the property, at 6040 Gulf of Mexico Drive. 

According to a police report, a worker had been installing GPS tracking systems to boats the day before and went to continue the work the next day when he noticed one of the devices he installed the day before was missing. Cannons employees told police that a total of eight GPS systems were stolen from five boats. 

The individual values of the stolen GPS units ranged from about $3,000 to $6,300. The total value of the stolen GPS units was about $40,100, making the burglary eligible for a charge of first-degree grand theft, which is a first-degree felony, according to Florida statutes.

Workers and police toured the marina looking for evidence and any other missing property.

“I observed the wires connecting to the GPS’ were cut, except for one vessel which appeared as if the wires were not cut and the connecters were simply unscrewed and disconnected,” an officer wrote in the report.

The investigation is ongoing, said Ivan Zunz with Longboat Key Police.

Cannons Marina is a Longboat Key mainstay, opening more than 70 years ago. The marina, which sells Grady White boats, performs service and provides boat rentals was purchased in September by Ingman Marine. Ingman has locations in Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Placida and Sarasota. 

Ingman Marine spokesperson Shannon Ingman Price said the company had no comment on the burglary at press time.