‘Make it right’: Boat owner asks man caught on surveillance stealing equipment to come forward

A boat owner is asking an individual to do the right thing after he was caught on surveillance footage stealing pricey equipment from the vessel while it was at a repair shop in Fort Lauderdale.

“The only thing that I can say to him is: ‘Make it right. I just want the screens back,” said Dylan Cannon, the owner of the boat.

Cannon’s plea comes after surveillance cameras captured a man rummaging through his boat with tools in hand, removing three monitors from the navigation console, then leaving the area.

“As soon as I looked at the center console, I noticed that there was three empty areas where the Garmins should be at. All the wires were cut, indicating that someone stole them,” said Cannon.

While the boat is not his personal one, it belongs to his boat dealership in Fort Lauderdale. Cannon said the stolen equipment is a significant hit for his company, valued at around $20,000.

“On this boat, they had Garmin screens, which are a navigational system that’s a multi-functional display unit. It shows charts, it shows depth, it shows a bunch of other things that are needed to operate the boat safely,” said Cannon.

Fort Lauderdale Police officers have begun investigating the theft.

Authorities told 7News the possible suspect or suspects managed to get onto the property through a hole in the fence.

Hunter Schofield is the owner and operator of Hunter’s Marine, where Cannon had taken the boat for service work.

“He cut through the fence in the back corner; he even cut through the barbed wire. And then when he came in, it looks like he cut himself and he got blood on the ground. He had blood on the boat, hand prints everywhere,” said Schofield.

Schofield said nothing was amiss the day before.

“I had checked the day prior, and the screens were still there, so when he checked, and they were gone, I was kind of surprised. Then we checked the cameras, and around 1:48, we saw him climbing through the boat, taking all the screens,” said Schofield.

He told 7News that this type of theft has been a significant issue in the industry.

Cannon said he has a hunch who may have been responsible for the crime and wanted to share a message for that individual.

“I’ll drop the grand theft charge against you. Admit you’re wrong, you know, people make mistakes, and I’m willing to give you the chance to make it right,” said Cannon.

If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.