Ahoy! There Are Now Pirates In The San Francisco Bay
Move over Captain Jack, there's a new crew of pirates taking over, only this time it's not the High Seas, it's right here in the San Francisco Bay.
Pirates?
In this economy!?
Well, yes and it's funny you should say that...
Pirates are taking over San Francisco Bay as crime continues to surge. (Photo by: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
PIRATES ARE NOW STEALING, SINKING SAN FRAN BOATS
Residents say that not only are they having to worry about their safety on the streets of the Bay, but now in the actual Bay itself.
The situation has become so bad that police are warning San Francisco and Oakland residents about the growing 'pirate' attacks where an influx of homeless people and criminals are attacking boats docked across the various marinas.
"The open shoreline of the (Oakland-Alameda) estuary is littered with sunken wrecks and derelict, end-of-life vessels, and crime has risen to truly intolerable levels," former harbor master Brock de Lappe told Fox News. "Multiple vessels have been stolen and ransacked. Victims have had to resort to personally confronting the criminals to recover their property without the benefit of police support."
The Oakland Marina is facing heightened crime from the pirates. (Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN
The problem is that as the city of San Francisco continues to be a haven for both crime and a dire homelessness issue, criminals are now branching out from just certain parts of the town. Those that have houseboats or dock their boats are now being confronted by these criminals - dubbed 'pirates' and many times being robbed or getting into physical altercations with them.
One middle-aged gentleman was found in the middle of the night in the Bay screaming for help after a pirate robbed him, assaulted him and then cut his safety line from the dock as he drifted away in a sailboat with no way to get back to land. Fortunately, someone heard him and went out and rescued him.
Anyone who ever has been to a marina or shorefront community knows that many times it's a laid-back vibe with people coming and going and doing what they do on the peace of the waterfront. Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore as police are barely around in the city itself, yet alone patrolling the marina at night which essentially makes these people perfect targets for the pirates. Residents and boatgoers are now having to fend for themselves.
Oakland police say they expect to ramp up marina patrols.
Meanwhile, congratulations to anyone who had 'Pirate Attacks' on their 2023 bingo card.