Investigations into the attempted theft of a boat and trailer Tuesday night in Islamorada are continuing this morning.
Deputies responded to the 84.3 mile marker at 11:30 p.m. after a man called the Sheriff’s Office to report two men in a black SUV were attempting to steal a boat and trailer that belonged to his boss.
When Deputy Michael Onsgard arrived on the scene, he saw the reporting person standing beside the bait shop at Abel’s Marina. He pointed toward the south side of the building. Deputy Onsgard then saw a black SUV backed up to a boat trailer with a flats boat on it. Two men were standing beside the trailer attempting to hook it up.
He ordered them to stop what they were doing. At that point, one of the men jumped into the SUV and took off in it, towing the trailer and boat, which were only hooked up with safety chains. The other man fled on foot.
The SUV crashed a short distance away and the man inside jumped out and fled into a wooded area. A perimeter of the area was set up and the area was searched, but neither man was found. The SUV – a black colored Jeep - was impounded and processed for evidence.
Detectives are continuing to investigate in an attempt to identify the two men who were attempting to steal the boat.