Boat owners have put police in South Holland on alert for thieves targeting the engines of vessels moored along the River Glen in Surfleet.
At least seven thefts of outboard engines from boats on the river were reported to police in April, including two occasions when the boats were taken and later left on the river after the engines were taken.
The spate of engine thefts was highlighted in the Spalding Guardian two weeks ago when Surfleet boat owner Rod Filby (74) was left with a £2,500 repair bill after his vessel was damaged and a security camera was smashed during a raid over the May Day bank holiday weekend.
Rod said: “The thieves came up the river, took my boat away and possibly went under the A16 bridge, before they cut out the electrical equipment with boltcutters and left the boat drifting on the river.
“It was the second theft in four weeks and people need to be warned because there are a lot of boats down here.
“This has been going on for years and it’s quite disturbing how they do it.”
A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Since April, there have been seven thefts of outboard engines from boats moored on the River Glen at Surfleet.
“On two occasions the boats where taken, the engines removed and then set adrift before they were recovered, so we are asking all boat owners to increase checks on their boats and, if possible remove outboards, when not in use.”