Boat gear stolen at Shoreline
FROM STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News Unattended boat trailers, such as those pictured above, are a common site near Gulf Breeze's Shoreline Park South boat ramp. A Gulf Breeze man reported his boat trailer stolen from his truck hitch on Labor Day.

A boat trailer and a boat motor were reported stolen in two separate incidents near Shoreline Park South recently, according to police reports. A Gulf Breeze man who left his truck and boat trailer parked at Shoreline Park overnight returned to find his trailer missing on Labor Day and another man reported a boat motor and fuel tank stolen from his beached sailboat Sept. 5.

Stephen and Stephanie McMullen launched their boat at Shoreline Park South Sept. and stayed overnight on Pensacola Beach. When McMullen returned the next day around 9:30 a.m., he found his 2006 Starline, 31 foot, dual axle trailer missing. Gulf Breeze Police reports indicate the truck and trailer were parked in the dirt within plain view of Shoreline Drive. The report also stated scuff marks were present in the dirt where the trailer had been removed from the truck's hitch. McMullen, 42, posted a brief statement about the missing trailer on a local online fishing bulletin board. A forum member replied saying he saw the trailer still attached to the truck described at 7 a.m., Monday Sept. 3. The trailer was described as having black and silver stripes on the sides and does not have guide poles.

Galen Micah Goetter, 21, of McDavid called police Sept. 5 saying someone had taken a 9.9 horsepower Yamaha boat motor and an external gas tank from his sailboat that was beached near Shoreline Park South. The police report indicated the alleged theft might have occurred between Aug. 28 and Aug 31. The report said the unknown suspects cut a padlock to remove the motor. There was no information about why the boat was beached and the vessel was no longer present at Shoreline Park as of Sept. 10.

Anyone with any information about the trailer's whereabouts or the allegedly stolen motor and fuel tank should call the Gulf Breeze Police Department at 850-934-5121.