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Cops: Indian River County Boat Theft Leads To Avon Park Man
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Published: October 13, 2008
AVON PARK - A local man was arrested Tuesday on a warrant in connection with the 2007 theft of a 1998 Skip Jack, Old Timer boat.
Mark Henderson Ferree, 50, of 3433 W. McCrab Road, was charged with grand theft, title fraud, dealing in stolen property and altering or removing an H.I.N (hull identification number), according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Division of Law Enforcement. He was out Friday on a $8,500 bond.
The boat, along with a motor and trailer, was first reported stolen to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office on June 7, 2007.
On Sept. 10, investigating officer Jared Cloud received information there was a Skip Jack, Old Timer for sale in front of an auto glass shop. The boat's color, motor and trailer matched the description of the stolen vessel. The registration, however, came back to a 16-foot Challenger, registered to Ferree, according to the report.
The boat was apparently longer than 16 feet and was known to be a Skip Jack style instead of a Challenger, the report stated, deeming further investigation.
Ferree said he bought the boat, motor and trailer in Lake Wales in Polk County and paid between $300 and $400 for everything. He replaced the registration number from a Challenger boat onto the Skip Jack to make it easier to sell.
The investigating officer also saw a trailer in Ferree's yard that matched the description of the stolen trailer. A Challenger boat was on the trailer and had the same registration number as on the Skip Jack vessel, the report stated. The V.I.N number also appeared to have been recently scratched off the trailer.
A Suzuki outboard motor was also found, which was removed and replaced from the Skip Jack. It was believed that the boat, motor and trailer were the stolen property.
Brad Dickerson can be reached at 863-386-5838.
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